The term “embolic” was first suggested in 1854 by Virchow when he described a patient with occlusion of the brain arteries by clots that appeared to arise from the heart.
Embolic strokes occur when a blood clot or a piece of debris called plaque, which formed in another vessel in the body, and then breaks away and flows through the bloodstream blocking or occluding blood flow to the brain.
Embolic stroke is one of the most feared complications in atrial fibrillation patients and is the presenting symptom in 20–25% of cases. Up to 20% of strokes are related to atrial fibrillation, and atrial fibrillation is associated with more severe stroke outcomes.
Embolic strokes often begin instantly and in approximately 80% of patients reach their peak neurological deficits at or near onset.
In the majority of patients, emboli are thrombotic in nature and can be formed in an artery, cardiac chamber, heart valve, or vein. Less frequently, emboli may consist of non-thrombotic material, whereas in certain cases they may contain both thrombotic and non-thrombotic material,
The majority of cardiac thrombi are formed within a chamber (i.e., the left ventricle, the left atrial appendage, or the left atrium). In other patients, thrombi are formed on pathological cardiac valves.
Embolic stroke can turn into haemorrhagic stroke during cardiopulmonary bypass and heparinization, resulting in high morbidity and mortality.
Embolic stroke
