Cardiovascular causes of emergency neurology presenting to an ICU

Abstract

Stroke or transient ischemic attacks (TIA) represent an urgent clinical entity that is not limited only to elderly patients. The underlying causes of stroke and TIA are diverse, with those of cardiovascular origin being among the most prominent. This review seeks to elucidate some of the most important aspects of the disease in the context of emergency and critical care practice.

An unusual agent for an unusual localization of infective endocarditis

“…A particularly perilous situation is represented by prosthetic valve endocarditis, which is associated with an increased risk of redo-surgery and the need for ongoing anticoagulation despite often multiple or even territorially large embolic cerebral lesions. 1 The HACEK group consists of Haemophilus, Aggregatibacter (formerly Actinobacillus), Cardiobacterium hominis, Eikenella corrodens and Klingella and is a heterogenous group of fastidious gram negative bacteria frequently found in the oropharynx. 7 Recent publications have addressed HACEK organisms as causing infection for infective endocarditis in below 6% of patients, [8][9][10] approximately congruent to the findings of other study groups.…”

“…A particularly perilous situation is represented by prosthetic valve endocarditis, which is associated with an increased risk of redo-surgery and the need for ongoing anticoagulation despite often multiple or even territorially large embolic cerebral lesions. 1…”

“…Infective endocarditis (IE) is still associated with a high mortality and one prominent trigger for cerebral embolism. 1 Despite clearly defined criteria for diagnosis, the Duke-criteria, 2 atypical courses can impede confirming the clinical presumption.…”

Air in intravenous lines: a need to review old opinions

“…23 On a global scale, strokes are considered to be the second leading cause of death. 24 Ischemic strokes that occur with an unknown etiology are called cryptogenic strokes. In a study of 287 young adults with ischemic strokes, 43% of the strokes were found to be cryptogenic in nature.…”