title: Transient ischemic attack: awareness and prevalence in the community.
abstract: Transient ischemic attack (TIA) is the most powerful predictor of stroke. Estimates of its prevalence in various regions of the world differ depending upon the instruments and exclusion criteria used and the population surveyed. For example, if the questioner uses technical language, or if he or she excludes events lasting but a few seconds and symptoms such as dizziness (without accompanying phenomena), numbness and tingling, and transitory amnesia (euphemistically called forgetfulness), an entirely different prevalence results than if these events and symptoms are included. In a survey of people aged 45 to 64, cross-sectional data were ascertained by means of a standardized TIA/stroke questionnaire and an algorithm. For women the prevalence of TIA-like events was 5% and fr men, 3%, increasing with age for both sexes. These events were more prevalent in African-Americans than Caucasians. The most frequent symptoms were change in speech, followed by dizziness and loss of balance.
authors.affiliation: Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1068.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Toole
mesh_terms: D044383:Black People; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People; D001741:Black or African American