Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)

What is transient ischemic attack (TIA)?

A transient ischemic attack (TIA), often referred to as a “mini-stroke,” is a stroke that lasts only a few minutes. It happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is briefly blocked.

TIA symptoms are similar to those of stroke. Most symptoms of a TIA happen suddenly and usually go away within an hour, although they may last for up to 24 hours. Symptoms can include:

• Numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
• Trouble seeing in one or both eyes, or double vision
• Problems with walking, dizziness
• Confusion
• Difficulty talking or understanding speech
• Loss of balance and coordination

There’s no immediate way to tell whether symptoms are from a TIA or a stroke. That’s why it’s important for a person experiencing them to get emergency medical care right away. Call an ambulance. Do not try to drive to the hospital.  

It's important that people having stroke symptoms be evaluated by a medical professional as soon as possible, ideally within an hour of symptoms starting. Quick evaluation from a doctor can help identify the cause of the TIA or stroke and how to treat it. 

Who is more likely to have a TIA?

Anyone can have a TIA, although they are more common in older people. Risk factors for TIA are similar to those for stroke. 

A risk factor is a condition or behavior, like high blood pressure or smoking, that increases the likelihood of having a certain health problem compared to those who don't have the risk factor. Having a risk factor doesn't mean a person will have a TIA or a stroke, and not having a risk factor doesn't mean they won’t. Many stroke risk factors can be treated or prevented.

TIAs are often warning signs that a person is at risk for a stroke. About one-third of those who have a TIA will have a severe stroke sometime in the future. Many strokes can be prevented by treating underlying risk factors and taking TIA seriously as a warning sign for stroke. Important treatable factors linked to TIAs and stroke include:

Conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, and high cholesterol should be treated. This is an important way to reduce risk for stroke—with and without a TIA. 

People who have had a TIA can make changes to their lifestyle to prevent stroke. These include: eating a balanced diet, staying at a healthy weight, exercising and being physically active, cutting back on alcohol, and quitting smoking. Learn more about stroke risk factors and prevention. 

How is transient ischemic attack diagnosed and treated? 

Diagnosing a TIA

It’s possible for a doctor to diagnose a TIA based on a person’s symptoms and medical history alone. The doctor will do a physical exam to check for heart and blood vessel problems as well as muscle and nerve issues. Sometimes, doctors will order imaging tests of the brain like an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or CT (computed tomography) scan.

Treating a TIA

A TIA itself will not require treatment. The blockage breaks up and dissolves on its own. But, a TIA can be a warning sign that a stroke may be next. Strokes are very serious. It is important that people who have had a TIA see a doctor, develop a treatment plan for any chronic conditions or other issues, and take steps to reduce their risk of stroke. This may include starting an exercise routine, trying to lose weight, quitting smoking, managing high blood pressure, and other steps recommended by a doctor. 

Sometimes, a person who has had a TIA may take medicine to prevent blood clots (blood thinners or anticoagulants). If the arteries in the person’s neck were blocked, it’s possible they will need surgery to clear or open the arteries. 

What are the latest updates on TIAs?

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is the leading federal funder of research on stroke and TIA. NINDS supports new and innovative research to better understand, prevent, diagnose, and treat stroke. NINDS-supported research projects cover a wide range of topics on TIAs, such as interventions to reduce TIA risk factors, research to understand a person’s likelihood of having a stroke after a TIA, and effective ways to reduce a person’s risk of stroke. 

NINDS-supported researchers are exploring how and if certain migraine drugs (called Anti-CGRP medications) may make TIAs and stroke worse in some people. Another research team is working to find biomarkers (biological signs of disease) that may indicate how likely a person is to have a stroke or a TIA. Other research is looking at whether certain genes or proteins can help protect the brain when blood flow is blocked. This research may one day lead to improved prevention strategies for TIAs. 

The NIH StrokeNet is a centralized coordinating and data management center with 27 regional coordinating centers that are linked to more than 550 stroke hospitals across the U.S. It conducts small and large clinical trials and research studies to advance acute stroke treatment, prevention, and recovery and rehabilitation following a stroke. Since it was started in 2013, StrokeNet has completed nine stroke studies and is currently conducting 16 more.

Learn more about current NINDS research on stroke. For articles on TIA research, search PubMed, which contains citations from medical journals and other sites. 

How can I or my loved one help improve care for people who have experienced a TIA?

Clinical trials increase our understanding of TIA with the goal of improving how doctors treat it. Consider participating in a clinical trial so clinicians and scientists can learn more about TIAs and related disorders. Clinical research with human study participants helps researchers learn more about a disorder and perhaps find better ways to detect, treat, or prevent disease safely.

All types of participants are needed—those who are healthy or may have an illness or disease—of all different ages, sexes, races, and ethnicities to ensure that study results apply to as many people as possible, and that treatments will be safe and effective for everyone who will use them.

For information about participating in clinical research visit the NINDS Clinical Trials site and NIH Clinical Research Trials and You. Learn about clinical trials currently looking for people with TIAs at Clinicaltrials.gov, a searchable database of current and past federal and private clinical trials.

Learn about related topics

• Stroke