The TIA Center at St. David’s Medical Center,part of the Certified Primary Stroke Center, offers an innovative approach to assessing and treating patients suffering from a TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack).
When a patient enters the emergency room with symptoms of TIA, they will be immediately scored upon arrival to determine stroke risk. A TIA TRAC will be initiated with a standardized, cutting-edge diagnostic and treatment pathway completed within a short period of time. The TIA Center also focuses on patient and caregiver education.
These “mini-strokes” occur rapidly and can have the same symptoms as a stroke. TIA symptoms, however, last a shorter time, usually from a few minutes to several hours, with complete recovery within 24 hours. Even though the symptoms do not last, TIAs can be a warning sign of an impending stroke and should be evaluated on an urgent basis.
This sense of urgency and need for follow up has prompted the development of a TIA Center for Stroke Prevention at St. David’s Medical Center---an effort to reduce the significant risk of a subsequent stroke after TIA and to provide urgent evaluation of TIA symptoms.
“We’ve developed a timely and seamless clinical protocol to manage Transient Ischemic Attacks, to promote patient education and, ultimately, to prevent a subsequent full-blown stroke,” Kent Ellington, MD, Medical Director of St. David’s Primary Stroke Center, said. “Recent studies show an 18 percent to 25 percent incidence of stroke following a TIA; this clearly illustrates the need to identify and treat the patient’s risk factors, and educate on healthy lifestyle changes ahead of time.”
Clinical Protocol and benefits of a TIA Center
The St. David's TIA Center clinical protocol includes:
- Diagnosis- various tests are done to determine the exact cause of the symptoms (i.e. clots in the neck vessels, heart or brain)
- Identification of individualized risk factors
- Prevention of another TIA or stroke - Medical and/or surgical treatment (i.e. medication, carotid endarterectomy or placement of a carotid stent)
- Counseling on lifestyle changes A focus on ways to modify your identified risk factors (i.e. stop smoking, lose weight, exercise, dietary changes, managing blood pressure and blood glucose...)
Fifty percent to 70 percent of TIA patients remain in the hospital for less than 24 hours before going home. Aftercare is coordinated by the nurse with recommendation for a follow-up appointment with the primary care physician.