What’s the Difference Between a Stroke and a Mini-Stroke?
The main difference between a CVA (stroke) and aTIAis severity.
It also discusses the prognosis for someone who has had a CVA vs. someone who has had a TIA.
Thanasis Zovoilis / Getty Images
Thanasis Zovoilis / Getty Images
What Causes CVAs and TIAs?
The primary difference between an ischemic CVA and a TIA is that in TIA, the blockage is temporary.
However, a damaged blood vessel may cause a TIA before it bleeds.
A stroke usually causes abnormalities that can be easily visualized on a brain CT or a brain MRI.
However, some believe that such changes mean the event is a stroke rather than a TIA.
Risk Factors
The risk factors that lead to an ischemic stroke and a TIA are the same.
This can make it hard to know if you are having a stroke or a TIA.
Usually, the long-term effects of a stroke show some improvement over time.
However, a stroke can also get larger or can cause swelling in the brain.
This may cause long-term effects that are even more extensive than the short-term symptoms of the stroke.
A TIA, on the other hand, completely resolves and does not cause any long-term effects or handicaps.
Some people with TIA and strokes may needsurgery.
Prognosis for Strokes and Mini-Strokes
A stroke may show some improvement or may get worse over time.
A stroke is fatal for around 9% of those between the ages of 65 and 74.
CVA and TIA can both cause the same symptoms in the early stages.
Stroke can cause long-term problems and permanent disability, while TIA does not.
A TIA, however, can be a warning sign that you may have a stroke.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Stroke.
National Library of Medicine.Stroke.
2015;15:78. doi:10.1186/s12883-015-0333-1
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Stroke: Symptoms.
2018;2018:3238165. doi:10.1155/2018/3238165
National Library of Medicine.Transient ischemic attack.
2018;49(3):e46-e110.
doi:10.1161/STR.0000000000000158
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Prevent stroke: What you could do.
Center for Outcomes Research & Evaluation, New Haven (CT).
Khare S.Risk factors of transient ischemic attack: An overview.J Midlife Health.
