Repeated Events of Acute Ischemic Stroke in a Patient with Essential Thrombocythemia

Essential thrombocythemia (ET) represents a risk factor for ischemic stroke, although it is a rare cause. Chronic myeloproliferative disorder is associated with proliferation of megakaryocytes sustained increases circulating platelet count. Essential thrombocythemia cause is not known, yet, many patients suffering from this disease may have no symptoms for a long time. Early detection is necessary because it may recur frequently thrombosis if not treated properly. We present a case of a 72 year old man with a history of three stroke events. The clinical diagnostic procedure revealed an increased platelet count was 961000/ml, and these cerebrovascular events were the first manifestation of essential thrombocythemia.