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Aetiology

Authoring team

Common causes of cardiac emboli include:

  • atrial fibrillation
  • left ventricular thrombus after myocardial infarction
  • rheumatic heart disease
  • prosthetic cardiac valves
  • following cardiac surgery for example, coronary artery bypass graft, or cardiac catheterisation

Less common causes include:

  • endocarditis - infective, marantic, Libman-Sachs
  • mitral valve prolapse
  • cardiac tumours - primary e.g. atrial myxoma; metastatic
  • non-ischaemic dilated / congestive cardiomyopathy
  • aneurysm

References

  1. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Stroke and transient ischaemic attack in over 16s: diagnosis and initial management. NG 128. April 2022 [internet publication].
  2. Royal College of Physicians; Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network; Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. National clinical guideline for stroke for the United Kingdom and Ireland. April 2023 [internet publication].

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