Suchergebnisse

Abstract
Atrial fibrillation is one of major risk factors of cerebral infarction. The use of oral anticoagulants is the only evidence-based method of reducing the risk of cardioembolic accidents. The guidelines of oral anticoagulant admission and usage have been available since 2012. The results of this study show that of 550 stroke patients that were admitted to Pauls Stradiņš Clinical University Hospital, Rīga, Latvia, from 1 January 2014 until 1 July 2014, atrial fibrillation was diagnosed in 247 (45%) cases, and of these patients, only 8.5% used oral anticoagulants before the onset of stroke. Six months after discharge of 111 (44.9%) stroke survivors, five (4.5%) used no secondary prevention medication, 27 (24.3%) used antiplatelet agents, 54 (48.6%) warfarin, and 25 (22.5%) used target specific oral anticoagulants (TSOACs). The mortality rate was significantly higher in the patient group that used no secondary prevention medication or antiplatelet agents compared to the patient group that used oral anticoagulants. The use of oral anticoagulants for primary stroke prevention in Latvia is insufficient. The mortality of cardioembolic stroke in 180 days is very high - 40.4%. Secondary prevention is essential to prevent recurrent cardioembolic accidents.

Cytomegalovirus chronic infection as a risk factor for stroke: a prospective study
Stroke is the second most common cause of death in the world and a major cause of long-term disability. Chronic infection is an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke and related forms of atherosclerotic vascular disease. The aim of our study was to compare the plasma Cytomegalovirus (CMV) immunoglobulin G antibody level in a patient and control group, and to determine the association of CMV chronic infection with ischemic stroke, and with stroke subtype. The present study does not present a cogent demonstration that cytomegalovirus chronic infection is a risk factor of stroke. Further studies are necessary to clarify the effective prophylactic measures to determine other significant risk factors for stroke.