Fred Fleming was driving home
with his family from Idaho where
his grandson had been playing
basketball when he started
slurring his words. "Pull off the
road and park," his daughter Jill
told him. He exited the highway
and came to a stop in a parking
lot. Fred didn't realize what
was happening, but his family
recognized the symptoms.
Fred, 71, was taken to the emergency
department (ED) at Providence Sacred Heart
Medical Center, where it was confirmed that
he had suffered a transient ischemic
attack (TIA).
A TIA is a sudden, short-term loss of blood
flow to the brain, disrupting oxygen supply.
Although it's not classified as a stroke, a TIA
produces symptoms of a stroke, except they
disappear within minutes to an hour.
Carotid artery disease diagnosis
While undergoing tests at Sacred Heart,
Fred's care team discovered additional
information – a complete blockage in his left
carotid artery and 80% blockage in his right
artery, the main blood vessels that send
blood and oxygen to the brain.
With no lasting symptoms, the care team
prescribed Fred an aggressive treatment
plan that required a combination of
medications to help reduce his risk of a
stroke, as he prepared for an innovative
vascular surgery to remove the blockage in
both arteries.
A new
lease
on life
