Management tactics in patients with chronic cerebral ischemia during COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The article describes the current state of evidence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus roles in the pathophysiology of chronic cerebral ischemia (CCI). CCI is mediated by cerebral microangiopathy, which develops due to vascular remodeling, increased arterial stiffness, endothelial dysfunction, impaired cerebrovascular reactivity, and neuroinflammation. All those mechanisms lead to white matter lesions and cognitive impairment. Arteriolosclerosis is the primary morphological process that damages perforating arteries and arterioles. COVID-19 pandemic can modify CCI progression due to similar pathophysiology. In particular, COVID-19-associated coagulopathy can lead to silent lacunar infarctions and lacunar stroke development. Treatment features of patients with CCI during the COVID-19 pandemic are reviewed. It is concluded that special attention in this group of patients should be paid to primary and secondary cardiovascular prevention issues, an essential element of which is the use of dipyridamole since it has a pleiotropic effect.