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HERWriter Guide

Hello Anon

Thank you for writing.

I'm sorry you're grandmother had this mini-stroke.

To give your a better idea of what a mini-stroke is, it's also called a Transient ischemic attack (TIA) and refers to temporary brain dysfunction. It lasts no longer than 24 hours. TIA is due to a shortage of blood and oxygen. It sometimes is referred to as a mini-stroke. TIA is a serious condition. It serves as a warning for a stroke . About 30% of stroke patients have had a TIA at some point in the past.

A TIA places a person at greater risk for having a stroke. The risk is actually highest in the first week after the TIA. Therefore, rapid treatment aims to decrease stroke risk. This can be done with lifestyle changes, medication, and surgery. If the cause of the TIA is a treatable condition it must be promptly treated. Specific conditions include:

Atrial fibrillation
Severe anemia
Vasculitis
Lifestyle
Smokers must quit . Patient with diabetes, hypertension , and/or high cholesterol must make every effort to manage these conditions. It can be done with:

Regular exercise
Appropriate dietary changes—low in saturated fat and rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables
Other lifestyle interventions
Medications
In addition, doctors often prescribe medication to lower blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol. This will help lower these risk factors. Most also prescribe aspirin or other drugs to decrease the risk of clot formation. It is still unclear whether the use of several drugs together offers benefit over aspirin alone.

Surgery
If the carotid artery on the same side as the TIA is 70% blocked or more, doctors may recommend:

A carotid endarterectomy —to remove the plaque deposits
Other less invasive procedures
These procedures can sometimes cause strokes. It is not routinely done if there are no symptoms and less than 70% blockage.

As to her forgetfulness and anger - this is normal after a mini-stroke. Your grandmother is likely frustrated with her change in mental status and knows life is different now but may feel powerless.

Give her as much help as you can by assisting with medical appointments, medication, help around the house and helping her memory by keeping a list of daily tasks and memory-joggers around the home - like where her keys are kept, where her valuables are and where she can locate the things she needs. Reminder notes are also helpful.

Keep her company too - talk and read with her and try to be as patient as you can.

Do you know what treatment plan she is on?

We look forward to hearing back from you and thank you for looking out for her!

Best,
Susan

October 2, 2018 - 12:35pm

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