Heart damage associated with cerebrovascular accidents

The authors present a clinico-pathological study on 21 patients who died in acute cerebrovascular diseases. The main myocardial lesions were focal hemorrhages, contraction band necroses and myocarditis. The ECG abnormalities and the pathogenesis of the cardiopathy are discussed on the basis of their investigations and dates of references. Their conclusions is that the heart damages are modulated by catecholamines. The occurrence of this cardiopathy should be prevented by beta-blockers, so the life-expectancy of patients and the number of heart donors could increase.