Regional Medical Center | Thrive for Life | Spring 2018

What is a TIA? A stroke is a very serious medical event. Likewise, a transient ischemic attack (TIA), also called a warning stroke, can be significant. “Knowing about TIAs could prove to be just as important when it comes to your life and health,” adds Sharman Sanders, MD, neurologist with RMC Neurology. Remember these two top facts about TIAs: 1. They mimic a stroke. TIAs start just like most strokes—when a clot blocks blood flow to the brain. The symptoms also are identical. But with a TIA, the blockage and the symptoms typically last just a few minutes, which isn’t long enough to damage the brain like a full-blown stroke might. 2. TIA is a medical emergency, just like stroke. Although TIAs are temporary, they’re nothing to ignore. Because the symptoms are the same, at first you won’t know if you’re having a TIA or a potentially debilitating stroke. And you shouldn’t wait around to find out. Timely emergency treatment can reduce your risk of having a full-blown stroke. Many times, TIAs precede a major stroke. And that risk is especially high right after a TIA occurs. Sources: American Heart Association; American Stroke Association; National Institutes of Health; National Stroke Association; National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Cari McAlister, CRNP RMC Piedmont Family Medical Center 32 Roundtree Drive Piedmont, AL 36272 256-792-9322 Will Mullins, CRNP RMC Pulmonology 1900 Leighton Ave. Suite 205 Anniston, AL 36207 256-235-0294 Kathy Quick, CRNP RMC Primary Care at Golden Springs 1416 Golden Springs Road Anniston, AL 36207 256-235-5006 5 rmccares.org A: Arm weakness. Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms out to the sides, and take note if one arm drifts downward. S: Speech difficulty. Can the person speak at all? Is speech slurred or otherwise difficult to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Can they repeat it correctly? T: Time to call 911. If a person has any of these symptoms, call 911 for help. Call even if symptoms go away. And note the time so you can let medical personnel know what time symptoms started. NEW PROVIDERS Sharman Sanders, MD Jessica Vincent, MD For more information on stroke treatment and rehabilitation services at RMC, visit bit.ly/ RMCstrokecare . To schedule an appointment with RMC Neurology, cal l 256-236-1303 . WELCOME