Evaluation of echocardiography results in patients with acute cerebrovascular accidents [CVA]

Cerebrovascular accidents are one of the most common causes of disability and mortality in human population all over the world. Several factors such as age, sex, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and heart diseases are risk factors for stroke. Due to high prevalence of cerebrovascular accidents and its related risk factors and particularly heart diseases, we decided to study echocardiography findings in patients with cerebrovascular accidents. This descriptive study was conducted on 372 cerebrovascular patients who had been admitted to Zanjan Vali-e-Asr hospital in 2008. The data such as gender, age, type of cerebrovascular accidents, underlying disease and findings of echocardiography were collected and then they analyzed by appropriate software. Of 372 patients, 181 were men [48.6%] and 191 were women [51.4%]. Systolic function in 321 cases [86.3%] was normal and it was abnormal in 51 cases [13.7%]. Diastolic function in 304 cases [81.9%] was normal and in 68 cases [18.1%] was abnormal. Twenty -two cases had mitral stenosis and 198 patients had mitral regurgitation, whereas 23 cases showed both of them. Nine cases had aortic stenosis; similarly 80 cases were found with aortic regurgitation and only 5 cases had both of them. 165 cases were found with tricuspid regurgitation, while 1 case had both regurgitation and stenosis. Sixty- three cases had ejection fraction below 40%. In one case there was a clot. High frequency of abnormal echocardiography findings in stroke leading to cardiac disorders is one of the most important risk factor of stroke. Thus, with echocardiography which is a non-invasive technique, many of heart problems can be diagnosed and consequently occurrence of cerebrovascular accidents can be prevented or treated

[Evaluation of the frequency of early seizures in patient with acute cerebrovascular accident [CVA] admitted to Neurology Department of Valiasr Hospital [2007]]

Cerebrovascular accidents are one of the most common causes of disability in human population all over the world. Regarding the incidence of post- CVA Seizures and its effect on morbidity and mortality in these patients and due to lack of enough similar studies in our country, we decided to carry out this study in Valiasr hospital, Zanjan. This descriptive study was conducted on 404 CVA patients who were admitted in Valiasr hospital from Mar to Oct 2007. The data such as gender, age, type of CVA, damaged brain zone, occurrence of seizure in the first week, type of seizure and the expiration date [if patient had expired], was collected through questionnaire the data were analyzed using appropriate softwares. The total mean age was 70.3 years old. 227 [56/2%] were men and 177 [43/8%] were women. Out of 404 patients with CVA, 362 cases [89/6%] were admitted with ischemic and 42 cases [10/4%] with hemorrhagic CVA. 16 cases [4%] had at least one seizure attack at the first week after CVA. Fifteen patients [4.1%] with ischemic CVA and 1 case [2.4%] with hemorrhagic CVA had at least one episode of early seizure in the first week [P= 0.579]. The mortality rate was 7.5 and 31.3% in patients without and with seizure attack respectively. This study showed that early seizure following CVA was more common in ischemic type of CVA, especially in embolic form. The risk of early seizure was higher at the first day after CVA. In addition, early seizure was correlated with higher mortality rate in CVA patients. The incidence of early seizures was higher in men. So prescribing prophylactic anticonvulsant drugs may reduce the incidence of post CVA seizure and its complications in these patients