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Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke: The View from Neurology

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Abstract

Atrial fibrillation is the most frequent cardiac disorder associated with ischemic stroke. Most, but certainly not all strokes in patients with atrial fibrillation, are due to an embolus dislodged from a left atrial thrombus. A large number of these patients also have cerebrovascular disease that may be responsible for their stroke. Thus the diagnostic dilemma in these patients is to determine which potential stroke mechanism is in fact responsible for their stroke. Once the mechanism is determined a course of rational, if not scientifically proven, therapy can be instituted. What follows is a summary of our current criteria for the diagnosis of cardiogenic brain embolism, observations on the nature of stroke in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF), and some recommendations regarding the anticoagulant management of these patients.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine(Neurology), University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA

    David G. Sherman

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  1. David G. Sherman
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA

    Stanford Wessler

  2. Cornell University Medical College, New York, New York, USA

    Carl G. Becker

  3. Mt. Sinai School of Medicine of the City University of New York, New York, New York, USA

    Yale Nemerson

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© 1987 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Sherman, D.G. (1987). Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke: The View from Neurology. In: Wessler, S., Becker, C.G., Nemerson, Y. (eds) The New Dimensions of Warfarin Prophylaxis. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-5985-3_28

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-5985-3_28

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-5987-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-5985-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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