Healthtalkonline is a website that provides a rich resource of more than 2,000 people’s experiences of health and illness. It’s also a great source of reliable information about conditions, treatment choices and support.
Adding to the growing list of diseases covered by Healthtalkonline is a new section on TIAs (transient ischaemic attacks and minor strokes) which has been supported by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford (OxBRC) and the National School for Primary Care Research.
In the UK, one in four people will have suffered a stroke by the age of 80. It is the third largest cause of death in the developed world and the single biggest cause of neurological disability. A TIA or minor stroke is similar to a full stroke but the symptoms do not last as long. The risk of having a major stroke in the first few days after a TIA is very high, so early diagnosis and treatment is critically important.
The new section on TIAs complements the existing Healthtalkonline module on Stroke. The information is based on qualitative research into people’s stories of health and illness, and enables families, healthcare professionals and the wider public to benefit from those shared experiences.
Dr Louise Locock, OxBRC patient experience fellow said: “We found that many of the people we interviewed had not heard of TIA or minor stroke before experiencing one. Although a key factor in preventing a full stroke after TIA is quick assessment and treatment we discovered that people often delayed visiting a GP or emergency department because they did not recognise their symptoms as being those of a TIA or minor stroke.
We hope this new section will go some way to raising awareness of what to do, as well as providing practical information and emotional support for people who have had a TIA or minor stroke.”
For more information contact Dr Louise Locock on 01865289303 or visit www.healthtalkonline.org/nerves_and_brain/transient_ischaemic_attack