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Transient Global Amnesia

Patrick H. Ginn, MD, MBA Reviewed 04/2024
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Transient global amnesia (TGA) is a reversible clinical syndrome characterized by the sudden onset of a marked reduction of anterograde episodic long-term memory that may last up to ...

DIAGNOSIS

Diagnostic criteria (Hodges and Warlow 1990): 
  • Attacks must be witnessed.

  • Must be an anterograde amnesia during an attack

  • Cognitive impairment is limited to amnesia.

  • No clouding of consciousness...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

  • TGA is self-limited; therefore, there is no specific treatment.

  • Because of the possibility of other more serious etiologies, patients should be hospitalized for further evalua...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Follow-up with neurology is recommended to ensure continued resolution of symptoms and to provide reassurance. 

PROGNOSIS

  • Although recurrences have been noted, TGA ...

REFERENCES

1
Spiegel  DR, Smith  J, Wade  RR, et al. Transient global amnesia: current perspectives. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat.  2017;13:2691–2703. [View Abstract on OvidMed...

CODES

ICD10

G45.4 Transient global amnesia 

SNOMED

230736007 Transient global amnesia 

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • TGA is sudden memory loss that cannot be attributed to stroke or epilepsy. Strenuous exercise, emotional stress, and migraines are the most common triggers.

  • By definition, the symptoms ...

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