Transient ischemic attacks or TIA's are brief episodes of neurological disturbance caused by reduced blood supply to an area of the brain. Strokes are longer lasting neurological disturbance, associated with permanent damage to the brain. This document discusses TIA's and strokes associated with dizziness, also known as Vertebrobasilar TIA's and Strokes. These strokes are from blockages of one or more of the arteries shown on the the picture to the right (Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery or PICA, vertebral arteries, anterior inferior cerebellar arteries or AICA, basilar artery, superior cerebellar artery or SCA).

Report of the National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Workshop on Perinatal and Childhood Stroke September 18 and 19th, 2000 Bethesda, MD

Stroke strikes about 700,000 Americans each year, but the vast majority of people survive. Close to 5 million stroke survivors are managing their health today. Here you'll find in-depth articles on stroke symptoms, treatments, and prevention. Plus, get daily support in our online support group.

Transient ischemic attack is no longer considered a benign event but, rather, a critical harbinger of impending stroke. Failure to quickly recognize and evaluate this warning sign could mean missing an opportunity to prevent permanent disability or death. The 90-day risk of stroke after a transient ischemic attack has been estimated to be approximately 10 percent, with one half of strokes occurring within the first two days of the attack. The 90-day stroke risk is even higher when a transient ischemic attack results from internal carotid artery stenosis. Most patients reporting symptoms of transient ischemic attack should be sent to an emergency department. Patients who arrive at the emergency department within 180 minutes of symptom onset should undergo an expedited history and physical examination, as well as selected laboratory tests, to determine if they are candidates for thrombolytic therapy. Initial testing should include complete blood count with platelet count, prothrombin time, International Normalized Ratio, partial thromboplastin time, and electrolyte and glucose levels. Computed tomographic scanning of the head should be performed immediately to ensure that there is no evidence of brain hemorrhage or mass. A transient ischemic attack can be misdiagnosed as migraine, seizure, peripheral neuropathy, or anxiety. (Am Fam Physician 2004;69:1665-74,1679-80. Copyright© 2004 American Academy of Family Physicians.)

Stroke. 2006;37:1583. © 2006 American Heart Association, Inc. A Guideline From the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Stroke Council: Cosponsored by the Atherosclerotic Peripheral Vascular Disease Interdisciplinary Working Group; Cardiovascular Nursing Council; Clinical Cardiology Council; Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Metabolism Council; and the Quality of Care and Outcomes Research Interdisciplinary Working Group: The American Academy of Neurology affirms the value of this guideline. Conclusion— Extensive evidence is available identifying a variety of specific factors that increase the risk of a first stroke and providing strategies for reducing that risk.

Collins C (2007) Nursing Standard. 21, 28, 35-39. Date of acceptance: January 18 2007.

Stroke. 1997;28:1480-1497.

NINDS health-related material is provided for information purposes only and does not necessarily represent endorsement by or an official position of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke or any other Federal agency. Advice on the treatment or care of an individual patient should be obtained through consultation with a physician who has examined that patient or is familiar with that patient's medical history. All NINDS-prepared information is in the public domain and may be freely copied. Credit to the NINDS or the NIH is appreciated. Last updated June 10, 2005

Vertebrobasilar atherothrombotic disease (VBATD) describes a wide spectrum of clinical entities with a common pathophysiology. Transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) in this vascular territory are also referred to as vertebrobasilar insufficiency (VBI). This more commonly used term developed in the 1950s after Fisher introduced the term carotid insufficiency to describe TIAs of the anterior circulation, which frequently serve as the prodrome to carotid branch infarcts. Although carotid insufficiency has been dropped from common medical jargon, VBI persists as the term that encompasses all TIA syndromes of the posterior circulation. In this article, VBATD describes both transient and permanent ischemic deficits as they affect posterior cerebral circulation. Last Updated: July 2, 2004

Immediately after a stroke, a survivor may respond one way, yet weeks later respond entirely differently. Some survivors may react with understandable sadness; others may be amazingly cheerful. These emotional reactions may occur because of biological causes due to stroke or because of the effects of a stroke (psychological causes). These changes may vary with time and can interfere with rehabilitation.

Lives are being lost because of a "worrying" lack of awareness in the UK about strokes, campaigners say. Last Updated: Saturday, 4 February 2006, 01:24 GMT

National Stroke Association is the only national organization in the United States that focuses 100% of its efforts on stroke. NSA achieves its mission to lower the incidence and impact of stroke by developing compelling community outreach programs, calling for continued improvement in the quality of stroke patient care, and educating both healthcare professionals and the general public about stroke. Established in 1984, NSA has never lost sight of its vision to reach as many individuals as possible and be a beacon of hope for stroke survivors. We strive every day to increase public awareness about stroke prevention, symptom recognition, treatment options and rehabilitation.

Please note: This information was as current as we could make it on the date given above. But medical information is always changing, and some information given here may be out of date. For regularly updated information on a variety of health topics, please visit familydoctor.org, the AAFP patient education Web site. Copyright © 2004 by the American Academy of Family Physicians

Amaurosis fugax involves loss of vision in one eye caused by a temporary lack of blood flow to the retina. Amaurosis fugax may be a sign of impending stroke.

Critical Care 2006, 10(Suppl 1):P457 doi:10.1186/cc4804. Conclusion: ECG abnormalities are frequent in acute stroke and may predict 6-month mortality. The observations of this study suggest differences between the IS and HS group. The ECG evaluation of patients with acute stroke must be started at the field. Whether the ECG changes are the result of some generalized atherosclerosis that promotes acute stroke, or the magnitude and perhaps location of brain infarction promotes ECG changes in the reverse direction, remains the question.

Transient ischemic attacks or TIA's are brief episodes of neurological disturbance caused by reduced blood supply to an area of the brain. Strokes are longer lasting neurological disturbance, associated with permanent damage to the brain. This document discusses TIA's and strokes associated with dizziness, also known as Vertebrobasilar TIA's and Strokes. These strokes are from blockages of one or more of the arteries shown on the the picture to the right (Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery or PICA, vertebral arteries, anterior inferior cerebellar arteries or AICA, basilar artery, superior cerebellar artery or SCA).