Publication date:  May 2011        Review date: May 2013

We interviewed 37 people (including some family members) who had experience of TIA or minor stroke, or it was suspected they may have had one. ‘TIA’ is an abbreviation for ‘transient ischaemic attack’. A TIA is a sudden onset problem with the functioning of one part of the brain which gets better usually within a short space of time but can last up to 24 hours. A ‘minor stroke’ is a longer-lasting problem, with mild but persisting symptoms. The risk of having a major stroke in the first few days after a TIA is very high, so early diagnosis and treatment is very important. People talked to us about their symptoms, how they got help, what treatment they have had and what their life has been like since.