Cardio-Cerebral Infarction Syndrome (CCIS): Definition, Diagnosis, Pathophysiology and Treatment

Abstract

Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and coronary artery disease are the major causes of death in Palestine and in the world. Ischemic stroke and acute coronary syndrome have similar vascular risk factors and may evolve as a complication of the respective other disease. The prevalence of coronary artery disease has been reported in one fifth of stroke patients. high incidence rate of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) after recent ischemic stroke and the high risk of acute ischemic stroke after recent myocardial infarction has been reported in several clinical or observational studies. Patients are at increased risk of ischemic stroke following recent myocardial infarction, and aggressive treatment of AMI, including use of reperfusion therapy, decreases the risk of AIS. For patients presenting with AIS in the setting of a recent MI, treatment with alteplase, an intravenous tissue plasminogen activator, can be given, but may be harmful in many conditions. It is important for clinicians to recognize that troponin elevations can occur in the setting of AIS as well as other clinical scenarios and that this may have implications for short- and long-term mortality. So that acute or recent problem in the heart or brain that could result in an acute infarction of the other. In this review we describe the definition and new classification of the cardio-cerebral infarction syndrome with 3 subtypes that reflect the definition, pathophysiology and treatment options.