title: Embolic stroke after smoking "crack" cocaine.
abstract: A 39-year-old woman had an embolic upper division middle cerebral artery branch occlusion 3 hours after smoking the free base of cocaine ("crack"). Radionuclide ventriculography demonstrated cardiomyopathy, and echocardiography documented a left atrial thrombus. This case demonstrates that embolism is one mechanism of ischemic stroke after cocaine use, and that cardiomyopathy, possibly cocaine induced, may be the source of embolus. A cardiac source of embolus should be sought in patients with cocaine-associated cerebral infarction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Harlem Hospital Center, New York.
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Petty
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Brust
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Tatemichi
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Barr
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D003042:Cocaine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002542:Intracranial Embolism and Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D003042:Cocaine