The goal is to prevent a stroke from occurring.

If you have had a TIA within the last 48 hours, you will likely be admitted to the hospital so that doctors can determine the cause and treatment.

Underlying disorders such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and blood disorders, should be treated appropriately.

Blood thinners, such as aspirin, may be prescribed to reduce blood clotting. Others include dipyridamole, clopidogrel, Aggrenox or heparin, Coumadin, or other similar medications. Treatment may be continued for an indefinite time period.

Surgery (carotid endarterectomy) may be appropriate for some people who have clogged neck arteries.

Smoking should be stopped.

Your health care provider may recommend a low-fat and low-salt diet. Other dietary changes may be recommended.

By definition, an episode of TIA is brief and recovery is complete. It may recur later that same day or at a later time. Some people have only a single episode, some have recurrent episodes, and some will have a stroke. A TIA needs to be treated as aggressively as a stroke. Risk for future stroke depends on the cause of TIA and management of risk factors.

Complications of TIA include:

• Death of brain cells due to too little blood flow to the brain
• Injury that occurs from falls
• Stroke

TIA is a medical emergency. Call 911 or other local emergency number immediately. Do not ignore symptoms just because they go away. They may be a warning of a future stroke.