Early treatment of ‘mini-strokes’ can cut risk of serious attack, study jointly led by Hong Kong researchers shows
While transient ischemic attacks are milder than strokes, they could be followed by more severe symptoms
Treating a “mini-stroke” within 24 hours after symptoms occur could reduce the chance of a serious stroke by up to 70 per cent, revealed a study – the largest of its kind – jointly led by Chinese University researchers.
Mini-strokes, also known as transient ischemic attacks, is caused by a temporary blockage of blood vessels in the brain. While they share symptoms of a stroke such as limb numbness, facial weakness or speech disturbance, these last for only a few minutes to several hours.
“Fewer people pay attention to a mini-stroke as it is milder, and the symptoms disperse after a short while. But it could be a sign of a more severe stroke,” said Professor Lawrence Wong Ka-sing, head of the university’s neurology division.
In a global study involving 4,789 mini-stroke patients from 61 centres in 21 countries and regions, including 139 patients diagnosed at the Prince of Wales Hospital through inpatient admission, the rate at which patients developed a stroke within seven days was 2.1 per cent, rising to 3.7 per cent for within 90 days.
This was lower than the conventionally known figures of 5 to 12 per cent collected from previous studies.