Also called: Mini-stroke · TIA
Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Transient Ischemic Attack
A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a stroke that lasts only a few minutes. It happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is briefly blocked. Symptoms of a TIA are like other stroke symptoms, but do not last as long. They happen suddenly, and include:
- Numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body
- Confusion or trouble speaking or understanding speech
- Trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Difficulty walking
- Dizziness
- Loss of balance or coordination
Most symptoms of a TIA disappear within an hour, although they may last for up to 24 hours. Because you cannot tell if these symptoms are from a TIA or a stroke, you should go to the hospital right away.
TIAs are often a warning sign for future strokes. Taking medicine, such as blood thinners, may reduce your risk of a stroke. Your doctor might also recommend surgery. You can also help lower your risk by having a healthy lifestyle. This includes not smoking, not drinking too much, eating a healthy diet, and exercising. It is also important to control other health problems, such as high blood pressure and cholesterol.
It sits within Blood, Heart and Circulation and Brain and Nerves.
The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Transient Ischemic Attack
365 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research currently under way
- A Standard Carbon Dioxide Flushing Protocol to Reduce Air Embolization During Thoracic Endovascular Aortic RepairUniversity of Bologna
- Zastaprazan for the prEvention of Upper GI Bleeding in Ischemic StrokeAsan Medical Center
- Natural History of Stroke: Cause and DevelopmentNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
- Long-term Outcomes After Percutaneous Patent Foramen Ovale Closure (Severance PFO Registry)Yonsei University
- Radiofrequency and Cryoablation of the Posterior Wall of the Left AtriumBakulev Scientific Center of Cardiovascular Surgery
- Tegoprazan for Prevention of Gastrointestinal Complication in Ischemic Stroke Patients on Antiplatelet Therapy (TegoStroke)Hanyang University Guri Hospital
Research already completed
- Improving How Older Adults at Risk for Cardiovascular Outcomes Are Selected for Care CoordinationWeill Medical College of Cornell University
- This Exploratory Medical Device Study Evaluated the Arrhythmia Diagnostic Yield of MEMO Patch V2, a Wearable Patch-type Electrocardiographic Monitor, in Adults With Suspected Arrhythmia Who Presented With Symptoms Such as Palpitations or Dizziness, or Who Had Cryptogenic Ischemic Stroke or TransientHUINNO Co., Ltd
- Chronical Illness-related Limitations of the Ability to Cope With Rising Temperatures, Third WaveUniversitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Start Here
- Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)American Stroke Association
- Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Symptoms
- Stroke Signs and SymptomsNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Stroke Symptoms and Warning SignsAmerican Stroke Association
Diagnosis and Tests
- Brain MRI (Head MRI)Radiological Society of North America
- Carotid Ultrasound ImagingRadiological Society of North America
Treatments and Therapies
- Blood Thinners: MedlinePlus Health TopicNational Library of Medicine
Prevention and Risk Factors
- What Are Stents?National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Related Issues
- Life after StrokeAmerican Stroke Association
- Ministroke vs. Regular Stroke: What's the Difference?Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
Statistics and Research
- Heart and Stroke StatisticsAmerican Heart Association
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Ischemic Attack, TransientNational Institutes of Health
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Ischemic Attack, Transient. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Transient Ischemic Attack, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.