BBC Morning Live doctor says 'silent killer' leaves no sign but could mean stroke imminent

A BBC Morning Live doctor has highlighted a ‘silent killer’ which can leave no sign after an attack. Dr Ranj Singh spoke out about TIA mini strokes and highlighted symptoms which might tell people they’re having one.

And on today’s show he also highlighted the common signs of strokes - which need immediate action. An NHS video was played on the show which said first signs can include not being able to raise your arm, being unable to smile or slurring. It added: “At the first sign, it’s time to call 999.“

The NHS says a transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or “mini stroke” is caused by a temporary disruption in the blood supply to part of the brain. The disruption in blood supply results in a lack of oxygen to the brain.

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This can cause sudden symptoms similar to a stroke, such as speech and visual disturbance, and numbness or weakness in the face, arms and legs. But a TIA does not last as long as a stroke. The effects last a few minutes to a few hours and fully resolve within 24 hours.

Dr Ranj said: “TIA mini strokes don’t leave lasting damage, which is different to a full blown stroke, which often there is evidence of damage. So when you go and you get tests done, it’s usually to look for underlying causes that we may be able to do something about.

“So if someone’s had a mini stroke or a TIA, you should be referred to a stroke specialist, ideally within 24 hours. That’s why I was talking about earlier. It’s so important to seek help if you haven’t done so already.”

The main symptoms of a TIA can be remembered with the word FAST:

• Face – the face may have dropped on 1 side, the person may not be able to smile, or their mouth or eye may have dropped.

• Arms – the person may not be able to lift both arms and keep them raised because of weakness or numbness in 1 arm.

• Speech – their speech may be slurred or garbled, or the person may not be able to talk at all, despite appearing to be awake; they may also have problems understanding what you’re saying to them.

• Time – it’s time to call 999 immediately if you see any of these signs or symptoms.

Dr Ranj added: “The kind of test that we might do. First, we might do some blood tests to look at things like your cholesterol levels, which we know can be a factor. Look at your blood sugar levels because we know people that struggle with things like diabetes can have issues with strokes as well. We’ll do some scans things like a CT scan, which might show damage in the acute phase. And we can do MRI scans, which can look for long term damage. We can also do what we call angiograms, which look at the blood vessels in your neck and your brain to see if there’s any issues there.

“Really important to check things like your blood pressure because that’s a major factor in stroke risk. And also do things like a heart tracing or an ECG to look for underlying heart conditions that might contribute. The treatment we then offer potentially depends on what your results might show. Sometimes we don’t find a cause for the strokes at all, and you may be offered other treatment to reduce your risk anyway.”

The NHS says a TIA is a sign you’re about to have a serious attack and explains: “A TIA is a warning sign that you may be at risk of having a full stroke in the near future, and an assessment can help doctors determine the best way to reduce the chances of that happening.

“If you think you may have had a TIA previously, but the symptoms have passed and you did not seek medical advice at the time, make an urgent appointment with a GP. They can determine whether to refer you for a hospital assessment.”

For more information from the NHS click here.