CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Neurology International Open 2017; 01(01): E8-E17
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-102263
Review
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Cardiac Arrhythmia following Stroke

Bernd Kallmünzer
1   Department of Neurology, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen
,
Stefan Schwab
1   Department of Neurology, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
21 March 2017 (online)

Abstract

One in 4 patients with acute stroke suffers from clinically relevant cardiac arrhythmia that may complicate the clinical course by hemodynamic instability, limit the success of rehabilitative care and increase the risk of stroke recurrence. A structured analysis of the continuous ECG recordings at the stroke unit can double the detection rate of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation compared to conventional monitoring. In case of suspected cardiac arrhythmia, ambulatory long-term heart rhythm monitoring is available for patients with stroke of unknown cause. Apart from the emergency management of arrhythmia, different aspects of the antithrombotic treatment for secondary prevention are of major therapeutic relevance and represent clinical challenges for the neurologist.

 
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