title: Trypanosomiasis, cardiomyopathy and the risk of ischemic stroke.
abstract: American (Chagas disease) and African (sleeping sickness) trypanosomiasis are neglected tropical diseases and are a heavy burden in Latin America and Africa, respectively. Chagas disease is an independent risk factor for stroke. Apical aneurysm, heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias are associated with ischemic stroke in chagasic cardiomyopathy. Not all chagasic patients who suffer an ischemic stroke have a severe cardiomyopathy, and stroke may be the first manifestation of Chagas disease. Cardioembolism affecting the middle cerebral artery is the most common stroke subtype. Risk of recurrence is high and careful evaluation of recurrence risk should be addressed. Repolarization changes, low voltage and prolonged QT interval are common electrocardiography alterations in human African trypanosomiasis, and can be found in more than 70% of patients. Epidemiological studies are needed to asses the risk of stroke in African trypanosomiasis perimyocarditis.
authors.affiliation: Neurology Department, Hospital Vírgen de la Luz, Av. Hermandad Donantes de sangre s/n, 16002, Cuenca, Spain. fjcarod-artal@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Francisco Javier
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Carod-Artal
mesh_terms: D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002598:Chagas Cardiomyopathy / Q000503:physiopathology; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014345:Trypanosoma / Q000187:drug effects; D014353:Trypanosomiasis, African / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D014344:Trypanocidal Agents