ABSTRACT

Stroke is the third leading cause of death and the commonest cause of adult disability in both developed and developing countries. Immediate mortality is high and approximately 30% of stroke patients die within a year and one in three of stroke patients become dependent on others. In this study on cardiac and carotid pathology, was designed to investigate the importance of ischemic stroke.

The data of 91 patients with acute ischemic stroke who were admitted to the emergency department of Selcuk University from 01/2007 to 01/2008 were analyzed. All the patients were evaluated with echocardiography and carotid arterial doppler.

According to TOAST criteria, all patients with acute ischemic stroke are classified as; 29.7% large vessel disease, 40.7% cardioembolic stroke, 18.7% small vessel disease, 4.4% other known etiologies and 10.5% unknown causes. With echocardiographic evaluation, the high risk of cardioembolic stroke is 21.1% and intermediate risk of cardioembolic stroke is 76.6.% With carotid arterial doppler evaluation 38.5% patients have <50% stenosis, 18.7% patients have 50-70% stenosis, 7.7% patients have >70% stenosis and 3.3% have total occlusion.

The echocardiographic evaluation is mandatory for the diagnosis and choice of treatment options for all patients who have ischemic stroke, and the carotid arterial doppler is an essential study mode for this population.

Keywords: Echocardiography, ischemic stroke, carotid arterial doppler