A new study finds that people who have this type of stroke may also have prolonged fatigue lasting up to one year.
Dr Modrau at the Aalborg University Hospital and his team’s study (published in Neurology®) shows that a TIA, also known as a mini-stroke (typically defined as a temporary blockage of blood flow to the brain that causes symptoms that go away within a day), shows an association with lasting fatigue.
People with a transient ischemic attack can have symptoms such as face drooping, arm weakness or slurred speech and these resolve within a day. However, a significant number report continued challenges including reduced quality of life, thinking problems, depression, anxiety and fatigue.
The study, involving 354 people with an average age of 70 who had a mini-stroke, were followed for a year. Researchers looked at how many participants experienced fatigue as defined as a score of 12 or higher. Of the participants, 61% experienced fatigue two weeks after the mini-stroke and 54% experienced fatigue at each of the three other testing time periods at three, six and 12.
It was found that for some people, fatigue was a common symptom that lasted up to one year after the transient ischemic attack.
ARNI Rehab says: for future studies, people diagnosed with a transient ischemic attack should be followed in the weeks and months that follow to be assessed for lingering fatigue. This could help researchers better understand who might struggle with fatigue long-term and require further care.