Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 12, 2026

The WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage Closure Device for Atrial Fibrillation
23:33

The WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage Closure Device for Atrial Fibrillation

Published on: February 28, 2012

84.6K

Detection and management of atrial fibrillation after cryptogenic stroke or embolic stroke of undetermined source

Tommaso Sanna1, Paul D Ziegler2, Filippo Crea1

  • 1Institute of Cardiology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.

Clinical Cardiology
|March 24, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Detecting atrial fibrillation (AF) in cryptogenic stroke (CS) and embolic stroke of unknown source (ESUS) patients can prevent recurrent strokes. Anticoagulation is recommended once AF is confirmed, but empirical treatment for ESUS without AF is not yet proven.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Cardiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Cryptogenic stroke (CS) and embolic stroke of unknown source (ESUS) pose significant global health challenges.
  • Atrial fibrillation (AF) is frequently identified in patients experiencing CS or ESUS.
  • Detecting AF in these patients allows for stroke risk reduction through anticoagulation, an alternative to aspirin.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the importance of AF detection in CS and ESUS.
  • To discuss factors influencing AF detection rates across different monitoring strategies.
  • To guide anticoagulation decisions based on AF burden and patient risk.

Main Methods:

  • Review of monitoring strategies for AF detection in CS/ESUS patients.
  • Analysis of factors affecting AF detection rates in published studies and meta-analyses.
  • Consideration of AF burden and patient baseline risk for anticoagulation decisions.

Main Results:

  • AF detection in CS/ESUS patients offers a pathway to reduce stroke recurrence risk.
  • AF detection rates are influenced by monitoring strategy, patient factors, device factors, and study design.
  • Anticoagulation decisions should be individualized based on confirmed AF, AF burden, and patient risk.

Conclusions:

  • Early and accurate detection of AF is crucial for secondary stroke prevention in CS and ESUS.
  • Monitoring strategies and their reported detection rates must be critically evaluated.
  • Empirical anticoagulation for ESUS without AF should be reserved for clinical trials.

Keywords:
Atrial FibrillationStroke

More Related Videos

Embolic Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion MCAO for Ischemic Stroke with Homologous Blood Clots in Rats09:11

Embolic Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion MCAO for Ischemic Stroke with Homologous Blood Clots in Rats

Published on: September 17, 2014

27.9K
Catheter Ablation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation28:13

Catheter Ablation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation

Published on: February 26, 2013

34.2K

Related Concept Videos

Regulation of Stroke Volume01:27

Regulation of Stroke Volume

The regulation of stroke volume, which is the amount of blood the heart pumps out during each heartbeat, is critical for maintaining a healthy circulatory system. Stroke volume is influenced by three main factors: preload, contractility, and afterload.
Preload refers to the degree of stretch on the heart before it contracts. It's analogous to the stretching of a rubber band; the more it's stretched, the more forcefully it snaps back. This concept is encapsulated in the Frank-Starling law of the...
5.2K
Pulmonary Embolism III: Nursing Management01:27

Pulmonary Embolism III: Nursing Management

A pulmonary embolism occurs when a thrombus, amniotic fluid, tumor tissue, fat, or air embolus blocks one or more pulmonary arteries. Effective nursing management and patient education are crucial for improving outcomes and preventing recurrence.Nursing management starts with obtaining a comprehensive patient history, particularly noting any history of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Assess for clinical manifestations, including dyspnea, chest pain, crackles, heart murmurs, and signs of right-sided...
455
Cardiac Output and Stroke Volume01:11

Cardiac Output and Stroke Volume

Cardiac output (CO) is an integral aspect of human physiology, reflecting the heart's efficiency and responsiveness to the body's needs. It represents the volume of blood that the left or right ventricle ejects into the aorta or pulmonary trunk each minute. The CO is calculated by multiplying the heart rate (HR)—the number of heartbeats per minute—by the stroke volume (SV)—the amount of blood pumped out with each heartbeat.
In an average resting adult male, the typical cardiac...
4.9K
Amyloid Fibrils03:03

Amyloid Fibrils

Amyloid fibrils are aggregates of misfolded proteins.  Under most circumstances, misfolded proteins are either refolded by chaperone proteins or degraded by the proteasome. However, in the case of a mutation or a disease, these proteins can accumulate to form large clusters and often further assemble to form elongated fibers, called fibrils. 
Amyloid deposits were observed as early as 1639 in the liver and the spleen.   In 1854, Rudolph Virchow performed iodine staining,...
12.1K
Amyloid Fibrils03:03

Amyloid Fibrils

6.5K
Cardiac Output II: Effect of Stroke Volume on Cardiac Output01:22

Cardiac Output II: Effect of Stroke Volume on Cardiac Output

Cardiac output (CO), the amount of blood the heart pumps per minute, is a parameter in cardiovascular physiology determined by stroke volume and heart rate. Stroke volume, the amount of blood pushed from one of the ventricles per heartbeat, is influenced by preload, afterload, and contractility.
Preload
Preload refers to the initial elongation of the cardiac myocytes before contraction and is related to the volume of blood filling the heart at the end of diastole, or end-diastolic volume. The...
3.5K