Cardioembolic infarction in the Sagrat Cor-Alianza Hospital of Barcelona Stroke Registry
Abstract
To describe the clinical features of cardioembolic infarcts. Cardioembolic infarct was diagnosed in 231 (15.4%) of 1500 consecutive stroke patients included in a prospective stroke registry over an 8-year period. Cardiac sources of emboli included isolated atrial dysrhythmia (57.1%), valvular heart disease (20.3%), and coronary artery disease (18.2%). Patients with cardioembolic stroke showed a significantly higher (P < 0.00001) frequency of sudden onset of neurological deficit (79.7%) and altered consciousness (31.2%) than patients with lacunar infarct (38% and 1.9%) and atherothrombotic infarction (46% and 24%). Eleven patients had a spectacular shrinking deficit and 6 a presumed cardioembolic lacunar infarct. Early recurrent embolisms occurred in 6.5% of patients mostly (60%) within 7 days of initial embolism. In-hospital mortality was 27.3% (0.8% in lacunar infarcts, 21.7% in atherothrombotic infarction, P < 0.00001). Cardioembolic infarction is a severe subtype of stroke with a high risk of early death. Clinical features at stroke onset may help clinicians to differentiate cerebral infarction subtypes and to establish prognosis more accurately.
References
Citations
Related Concepts
Related Feeds
Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation is a common arrhythmia that is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality, particularly due to stroke and thromboembolism. Here is the latest research.
Arrhythmia
Arrhythmias are abnormalities in heart rhythms, which can be either too fast or too slow. They can result from abnormalities of the initiation of an impulse or impulse conduction or a combination of both. Here is the latest research on arrhythmias.
Acute Stroke
A stroke occurs when blood supply to the brain is interrupted depriving the brain of oxygen and nutrients. This feed focuses cerebrovascular accidents including ischemic and paralytic stroke.