Treatment of ischemia

1. A method of treating a transient ischemic attack, comprising:

orally administering a therapeutically effective amount of amiloride or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof to an ischemic subject to reduce injury resulting from a transient ischemic attack.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of administering is performed at least about two hours before the onset of stroke on the ischemic subject to reduce injury induced by a stroke.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ischemia is stroke, and wherein the step of administering is performed at least about three hours before the onset of the attack.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of administering an NMDA inhibitor.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the NMDA inhibitor is a glutamate antagonist.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the amiloride or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is given in a dose range of 0.1 mg−30 mg/kg body weight.