A Cardiac Time Bomb: Stroke as the Initial Presentation of a Large Atrial Myxoma

Primary cardiac tumors are rare. Atrial myxomas are one of the most frequent benign tumors of the heart. These tumors typically manifest as obstructive symptoms, including dyspnea and syncope. Constitutional symptoms, including fever, weight loss, and fatigue, are also common. Embolic phenomena are rare. Neurological manifestations primarily occur as ischemic infarction, whereas hemorrhagic transformation is infrequent. We present a young adult who experienced an ischemic stroke followed by hemorrhagic transformation, ultimately diagnosed with an atrial myxoma. During the patient's hospitalization, neurological improvement was noted while he received antiplatelet and statin therapy. The definitive treatment, consisting of surgical excision, was performed in this patient, followed by echocardiographic surveillance to monitor for recurrence.