Contribution of mechanical and electrical cardiovascular factors in patients with ischemic stroke

Abstract

Stroke represents the third - leading cause of death after heart and neoplastic isease and is one of the biggest cause of disability worldwide. Cardioembolism, through its principal mechanism - atrial fibrillation - constitute an important cause of ischemic stroke. Otherwise, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) has been associated with a twofold increase in stroke risk. The study aims at highlighting significant associations between several risk factors of stroke LVH and atrial fibrillation (AF), respectively LVH and cardiac stenosis contributeng to ischemic stroke. The study comprised of 256 patients with stroke, hospitalized in the County Clinical Emergency Hospital, Sibiu, Romania; they were examined by ultrasound by echocardiography and carotid Duplex echography. The patients were divided in subgroups that were later compared to one another: 167 patients had atrial fibrillation (group A), 89 patients did not have atrial fibrillation (group B). Then both groups were divided in 2 subgroups (with or without LVH). It has been identified another two groups (66 patients with carotid stenosis <50%) and 116 patients with carotid stenosis >50% and each group was divided in 2 subgroups (with or without LVH). LVH is an important contributing factor in ischemic stroke in patients also presenting carotid stenosis > 50%.