
Transient Ischemic Attack as Prediktor of Stroke
The predicative role of Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIA) in the formation of a definitive ischemic stroke in a five-year period were studied in a population of 1037 persons aged 42 to 77. We were monitoring outpatients and hospital patients. All patients had laboratory tests with particular reference to the values of glycemia and lipids profile, cardiac investigations (blood pressure, ECG and examination of specialist in internal medicine); brain Computed Tomography (CT) with transcranial doppler ultrasound (in the period of 3 days from the onset of symptoms) and doppler ultrasound of neck arteries. The number of men and women who had symptoms of TIA was almost equal. The leading risk factor among these patients was hypertension, but most of them also had diabetes mellitus, elevated serum lipid levels, and heart arrhythmias. Almost all patients had circulatory changes on the blood vessels of the brain while half of them had degenerative changes in the blood vessels of the neck. In the five-year follow-up period of these patients, a definite ischemic stroke developed in 31.72% and this was more common in those who had repeated TIAs (2 or 3) as well as those with multiple risk factors at the same time.
Đelilović-Vranić J¹, Tirić-Čampara M¹, Tanović E², Đozić E¹*, Nakičević A¹, Stajić M², and Salčić S³