Of 171 patients evaluated prospectively and consecutively for cerebral ischemia, 26 (15%) developed symptoms while hospitalized. Cerebral ischemia complicated operative procedures in 12 patients, unsuccessful cardioversion in one and coronary angiography in another. Twelve patients had apparent cerebral embolism and 14 patients had cerebral thrombosis as a mechanism of their symptoms. Hospitalized patients who suffered cerebral ischemia had one or more of the following: risk factors for stroke including cardiac source of embolus, previous stroke, diagnostic or therapeutic procedures for vascular disease, or chronic hypertension complicated by acute hypotension.

The frequency of recurrent cerebral ischemia and death was determined prospectively in 36 patients who presented with ischemic stroke and had atrial fibrillation. Patients were followed an average of 2.3 months (range, 3 weeks to 9 months). The recurrence rate for cerebral ischemia was 33%, and the mortality rate was 22%. A beneficial effect of anticoagulation, given nonrandomly, was observed when we compared treated versus untreated patients followed for a similar length of time. Nine patients (25%), however, had CT evidence of hemorrhage associated with cerebral embolic infarction.

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Of 156 stroke patients prospectively and consecutively evaluated, one-third had a homonymous hemianopia. Of those 52 patients, 46% had a horizontal conjugate gaze paresis at the time of presentation. This gaze paresis was most commonly seen with large hemispheric stroke. The overall prognosis in patients with a gaze paresis was poor. The 30-day case fatality rate was 49% which was significantly higher than for stroke patients presenting with homonymous hemianopia without a gaze paresis.

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