title: Treatment of ischemic stroke complicating cardiac catheterization with systemic thrombolytic therapy.
abstract: Ischemic stroke is a rare but serious complication of cardiac catheterization. We report a case in which systemic thrombolytic therapy was successfully utilized in treating a patient with a cerebellar stroke, leading to obtundation during elective cardiac catheterization. Underlying bilateral vertebrobasilar disease with thrombotic embolization to the basilar artery was postulated to be the pathophysiological basis for the stroke and subsequent success of thrombolytic treatment in this patient. As the consequences of this rare complication are severe, systemic thrombolytic therapy should be considered for patients suffering an acute ischemic stroke during cardiac catheterization or percutaneous coronary intervention.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: Rod
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Serry
authors.forename: Sotirios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsimikas
authors.forename: Steven G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Imbesi
authors.forename: Ehtisham
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mahmud
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008297:Male; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D014715:Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents