About 250,000 folks in the U.S. have a transient ischemic attack (TIA)
every year, and around 20% of them go on to experience a full-blown stroke
in the next 90 days. That's why calling these "mini-strokes" isn't accurate,
even though the TIA's temporary blockage of blood flow in the brain goes
away by itself and doesn't cause permanent brain damage.
Even if a TIA doesn't lead to a stroke (right away), we now know it can
cause other life-altering problems. A study in Neurology followed 364 folks,
average age 70, who had a mini-stroke, for a year. More than half of them
complained of persistent fatigue that included physical tiredness, reduced
activity and motivation and mental weariness -- and those symptoms were
twice as prevalent in folks who had anxiety or depression before they
experienced a TIA.
The cause of the post-TIA fatigue isn't lingering blood clots; brain scans
showed they were equally likely in patients with and without fatigue. So,
there may be neurological changes after a TIA that impact brain biochemistry
related to depression and anxiety and that leads to a lack of energy and
disengagement from the world-at-large.
If you or a loved one are contending with post-TIA fatigue, cutting-edge
longevity treatments like therapeutic plasma exchange may cool lingering
inflammation, calm the body and brain, and restore energy. So can meditation
and an anti-inflammatory diet. But don't wait for a TIA to occur. Make your
arteries younger now. See the tips on reclaiming your best self, in the free
newsletter at LongevityPlaybook.com.
Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at
the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers.
Check out his latest, "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for
a Younger Tomorrow," and find out more at www.longevityplaybook.com. Email
your health and wellness questions to Dr. Mike at
questions@longevityplaybook.com.
(c)2023 Michael Roizen, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
(c) 2025 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features
Syndicate, Inc.
3/related/default
