Page 132 - The Memory Program How to Prevent Memory Loss and Enhance Memory Power

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immediately caught Joe's and his wife's attention, and their mood began to change. After a few
minutes of further discussion, Joe apprehensively signed on the dotted line for neurosurgery, which
went without a hitch, and he was soon discharged home in excellent condition. Later, he wrote us a
thank-you note, saying that he was back at work with no more problems.

Aneurysm Is Rare, Thrombosis Is Common

Aneurysms with the potential for bleeding are a relatively rare cause of TIAs, which is why I
remember Joe's case so clearly. Most TIAs are due to cholesterol-laden plaques gradually blocking
blood flow through a vessel; the TIA symptoms warn that the blockage is becoming severe and a clot
or thrombus has begun to form. The clotting process is like a slow, relentless suicide machine: tiny
particles called platelets in the blood begin to gather and aggregate to form a thrombus, the thrombus
steadily mushrooms in size as more platelets land on it, and eventually the blood vessel is completely
blocked. This results in an infarction (infarct), which is the death of a mass of brain tissue that is
deprived of glucose and oxygen due to lack of blood supply. Nature has given us a powerful clotting
process to shield us from excessive blood loss when we have an external injury, but the same process
can be lethal if it occurs internally in the heart or brain.

Signs of a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) and What to Do When It Occurs

Sudden weakness in any arm or leg.
Sudden changes in sensation (to touch, pain, or heat), speech, or vision.
Acute confusion or memory lapses that last for a few minutes to hours.
Any or all of these symptoms may resolve spontaneously, but this is no reason to rejoice. Go to
your doctor or emergency room immediately, preferably accompanied by someone close to you.

Like Joe Smith, many people tend to wait because they usually recover without a hitch from the
initial TIA, and when the full-blown stroke strikes it is often too late to treat effectively.