Stroke broadly describes the sudden onset of neurologic dysfunction due to an abnormality of blood supply to the brain, retina, or spinal cord. Ischemic stroke makes up the majority of all strokes and is often considered synonymous with stroke although…
Cardiac abnormalities are common after acute neurologic injury. Disturbances can range in severity from transient electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormalities to profound myocardial injury and dysfunction. Evidence from animal models and clinical observations indicate that the central nervous system (CNS) is involved…
Despite advances in the management of cardiac arrest, patients continue to have high mortality, exceeding 90 percent. Following the return of spontaneous circulation, dysfunction of multiple organ systems along with a systemic inflammatory response, collectively termed the “post-arrest syndrome,” can…
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The relationship between infection of the heart valves and arterial embolization was first recognized by Rudolf Virchow in the mid-1800s and the classic clinical triad of fever, heart murmur, and hemiplegia was described 30 years later by Osler in his…
Introduction The neurologic manifestations of acquired cardiac disease include (1) the sudden onset of a focal neurologic deficit due to occlusion of a cerebral or retinal artery by an embolus that has developed within the heart (cardiogenic embolism) and (2)…
Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common major congenital malformation, occurring in approximately 1 percent of live births worldwide. Among the 40,000 children born with CHD annually in the United States, one-quarter require surgical intervention in the first year…
Cardiac surgery, including coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), extracorporeal circulation, and aortic valve replacement, has the potential to significantly improve patients’ functional status and reduce mortality; however, neurologic complications of surgery can limit and even eradicate these potential benefits. Perioperative…
The aorta is the main conduit through which the heart supplies blood to the body, including the brain, brainstem, and spinal cord. In addition, this vessel is situated close to important neural structures. In consequence, both disease of the aorta…