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Cardioembolic infarction in the Sagrat Cor‐Alianza Hospital of Barcelona Stroke Registry
Author(s) -
Arboix A.,
Vericat M. C.,
Pujades R.,
Massons J.,
GarciaEroles L.,
Oliveres M.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
acta neurologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.967
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1600-0404
pISSN - 0001-6314
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1997.tb00307.x
Subject(s) - medicine , cardiology , stroke (engine) , infarction , myocardial infarction , embolism , cerebral infarction , lacunar stroke , ischemic stroke , ischemia , mechanical engineering , engineering
Objectives ‐ To describe the clinical features of cardioembolic infarcts. Material & methods ‐ Cardioembolic infarct was diagnosed in 231 (15.4%) of 1500 consecutive stroke patients included in a prospective stroke registry over an 8‐year period. Results ‐ 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). Conclusion ‐ 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.