Which term describes brief, stroke-like episodes that may warn of an impending stroke?

Which term describes brief, stroke-like episodes that may warn of an impending stroke?

• A. Parkinson's disease
• B. Subarachnoid hemorrhage
• C. Subdural hematoma
• D. Transient ischemic attack

Answer: (D)

A transient ischemic attack is a brief period of neurologic dysfunction caused by a temporary drop in blood flow to part of the brain, spinal cord, or retina. The defining feature is that the symptoms look like a stroke but fully resolve in a short time, leaving no lasting damage. Because TIAs are warning signs of possible future stroke, they prompt urgent medical evaluation to identify and treat risk factors (such as high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, or carotid artery disease) to prevent a real stroke. The other conditions listed don’t fit this pattern: Parkinson’s disease is a chronic movement disorder, subarachnoid hemorrhage involves bleeding in the brain’s surrounding space with a sudden severe headache, and subdural hematoma is bleeding beneath the skull often after head injury.

A transient ischemic attack is a brief period of neurologic dysfunction caused by a temporary drop in blood flow to part of the brain, spinal cord, or retina. The defining feature is that the symptoms look like a stroke but fully resolve in a short time, leaving no lasting damage. Because TIAs are warning signs of possible future stroke, they prompt urgent medical evaluation to identify and treat risk factors (such as high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, or carotid artery disease) to prevent a real stroke. The other conditions listed don’t fit this pattern: Parkinson’s disease is a chronic movement disorder, subarachnoid hemorrhage involves bleeding in the brain’s surrounding space with a sudden severe headache, and subdural hematoma is bleeding beneath the skull often after head injury.