ArcaMax

About 250,000 folks in the U.S. have a transient ischemic attack (TIA) every year, and around 20% of them go on to experience a full-blown stroke in the next 90 days. That's why calling these "mini-strokes" isn't accurate, even though the TIA's temporary blockage of blood flow in the brain goes away by itself and doesn't cause permanent brain damage.

Even if a TIA doesn't lead to a stroke (right away), we now know it can cause other life-altering problems. A study in Neurology followed 364 folks, average age 70, who had a mini-stroke, for a year. More than half of them complained of persistent fatigue that included physical tiredness, reduced activity and motivation and mental weariness -- and those symptoms were twice as prevalent in folks who had anxiety or depression before they experienced a TIA.

The cause of the post-TIA fatigue isn't lingering blood clots; brain scans showed they were equally likely in patients with and without fatigue. So, there may be neurological changes after a TIA that impact brain biochemistry related to depression and anxiety and that leads to a lack of energy and disengagement from the world-at-large.

If you or a loved one are contending with post-TIA fatigue, cutting-edge longevity treatments like therapeutic plasma exchange may cool lingering inflammation, calm the body and brain, and restore energy. So can meditation and an anti-inflammatory diet. But don't wait for a TIA to occur. Make your arteries younger now. See the tips on reclaiming your best self, in the free newsletter at LongevityPlaybook.com.

Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. Check out his latest, "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow," and find out more at www.longevityplaybook.com. Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Mike at questions@longevityplaybook.com.

(c)2023 Michael Roizen, M.D.

Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

(c) 2025 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.