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Clinical effects

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

The size of the cerebral embolism varies with each cardiac disorder and is important in determining the presentation of the underlying problem. Characteristic is the absence of warning signs or symptoms.

Small emboli may cause amaurosis fugax or a transient ischaemic attack

  • they often arise in valvular disease such as mitral valve prolapse or infective endocarditis (1)

Larger emboli often cause cortical branch artery syndromes, such as Wernicke's aphasia or a homonymous hemianopia, a large subcortical infarction, or a pan-hemispheric stroke

  • they usually arise from the left atrium and ventricle

Reference:

  • Hart, 'Cardiogenic embolism'. Lancet (1992), 339.

 

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