Mini-avc: a silent danger with sometimes durable effects
A transient ischemic accident (AI), also called mini-avcmanifests itself as a conventional stroke, but its symptoms disappear in less than 24 hours. However, its impact could be more insidious than we thought.
An AI occurs when a clot temporarily blocks blood circulation to the brain. Apparently benign, it constitutes A serious alarm signal. Among the typical symptoms: sagging of the face, weakness in an arm or disturbance of the speech. If they disappear quickly, certain side effects may, they settle down.
Dr. Boris Modrau, neurologist and principal author of the study published in the journal Neurologyspecifies:
“”People who are victims of a transient ischemic accident may have symptoms such as sagging the face, weakness of the arms or speech problems, which disappear in one day. However, some people have reported persistent difficulties, including a reduced quality of life, disorders of thought, depression, anxiety and fatigue“.
Complaints which, so far, remained little explored in clinical research.
Persistent fatigue much more frequent than we thought
To better understand this phenomenon, Danish researchers followed 354 patients who underwent an AI. All have regularly fulfilled questionnaires on their level of fatigue – whether general, physical, mental, linked to motivation or activity.
The results are final:
- 61 % Patients were suffering from marked fatigue two weeks later milk ;
- 54 % of them still felt this fatigue A year later.
According to Modrau:
“”Long -term fatigue was common in our group of study participants, and we found that if people feel fatigue within two weeks of leaving the hospital, it is likely that they will continue to suffer for a year “.
Other teaching: brain scanners do not show any differences visible between tired patients and others. Which suggests that history of depression or anxiety could come into play in the persistence of symptoms.
A link to be confirmed and signals not to be overlooked
The Danish study opens a promising track but remains cautious: it shows a correlation, not a direct causality. The data comes from Auto-administered questionnaireswhich can distort certain perceptions. Dr Modrau insists:
“”For future studies, people diagnosed with a transient ischemic accident should be followed in the following weeks and months in order to assess persistent fatigue. This could help us better understand who could suffer from long -term fatigue and require additional care “.
And if the main message of this study is that prolonged fatigue after a real medical accounthe also recalls the urgency of Recognize the alert signs of a mini-HOVeven transitory.
According to several experts, here is The 5 signs to monitor immediately :
- Sudden numbness face, arm or leg, especially on one side;
- Word disorders or understanding;
- Vision problems with one eye or both;
- A sudden loss of balancean unstable approach or dizziness;
- An intense headache and unexplained.
These symptoms, even if they only last a few minutes, require Emergency medical consultationbecause an AI is often the prelude to a more serious stroke.