Risk factors for stroke and use of echocardiography in diagnosis: a review.
BACKGROUND
Stroke is a prevalent disease in many communities. Cardiologists consultation and cardiac investigations are frequently requested to rule out cardiac source of embolic manifestations. The heart has been reported to account for 20% of ischaemic strokes in the Western community.


OBJECTIVE
To review risk factors for stroke and the use of echocardiography in its diagnosis.


METHODS
Medline review was done for reported causes of stroke, these causes were divided into major and minor and were discussed briefly as general physician need to determine when and what to ask for.


RESULTS
Some cardiac sources do have established roles in strokes but others have circumstantial and/or secondary roles.


CONCLUSIONS
While there exists evidence to recommend echocardiogram in stroke patients with heart disease, it is not needed routinely in all patients with stroke. In some circumstances, echocardiography may enhance the diagnosis but not necessarily change management [corrected].
Kinsara
A J
AJ
Department of Medicine, King Khalid National Guard Hospital, Jeddah, PO Box 4409, Jeddah, 21491, Saudi Arabia.
D004452:Echocardiography; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*