engleski

TCD detection of cerebral emboli in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation : a 1-year follow-up survey

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and acoustic characteristics of microembolic signals in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation and other cardiac diseases. Stroke incidence in the 1-year follow-up survey was examined. A total of 72 patients with cardiac diseases divided into five groups were examined using transcranial Doppler. Both MCAs were monitored during 60 minutes. Embolic signals were categorized regarding to the intensity of the Doppler amplitude into four groups. Detectable emboli signals had 43 % of the patients. The prevalence of emboli signals was the highest in patients with prosthetic heart valves, while the patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation were placed on the third place. Patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation predominantly had detectable emboli signals in lower dB intensity groups. During 1-year follow-up, 26 % of the patients had one or more TIAs and 7 % of the patients suffered from stroke. The results of our study showed that the prevalence, quantity and acoustic characteristics of emboli signals vary in patients with different subgroups of cardiac disease. TCD may have an important role in the evaluation of patient risk for cerebrovascular disease.

transcranial Doppler, cerebral emboli, nonvalvular atrial fibrillation

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