Cardioembolic Stroke.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review summarizing clinical management and guidelines without systematic search methodology.
PubMed 28157747 · doi:10.1212/CON.0000000000000419
What was done
This narrative review summarizes the etiologies, diagnostic evaluation (including electrocardiography, echocardiography, neuroimaging, and prolonged cardiac monitoring), risk stratification models, and current management guidelines for cardioembolic stroke.
What was found
No quantitative findings, sample sizes, or numerical effect sizes are reported in the abstract. The review qualitatively outlines atrial fibrillation as the primary etiology, highlights the utility of novel oral anticoagulants and prolonged cardiac monitoring for occult atrial fibrillation, and notes management strategies for prosthetic heart valves, aortic arch atherosclerosis, and patent foramen ovale closure.
Why it matters
Cardioembolic stroke causes disproportionate disability compared to other stroke subtypes and is increasing with population aging, requiring etiology-specific diagnostic and secondary prevention approaches.
Limits
The abstract describes a narrative educational review with no original empirical data, quantitative outcomes, or systematic literature search methodology.
Cited by
- supports Atrial fibrillation is the leading heart disease issue causing strokes.