STUDY OF ECG AND ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC ABNORMALITIES IN STROKE PATIENTS AND ITS PROGNOSTIC SIGNIFICANCE

BACKGROUND: Stroke is common life threatening disorder. It is the third leading cause of death in developed countries after cardiovascular disease and cancer. OBJECTIVE: 1.To study ECG and 2D echocardiographic changes in different types of strokes. 2. To know whether such changes have any prognostic significance. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The material of study comprised of 100 Patient admitted in a Medical College & associated Hospital of central India, from May 2009 to Sept. 2011. RESULTS: Abnormal ECG changes were more common among hemorrhagic patients (78.12%) compared to infarct patients (67.64%). 2D echo abnormalities were more common among hemorrhage group (75%) than in infarct (44.12%). None of the ECG changes had much significance on mortality and was statistically insignificant (p>0.05) while LV dysfunction showed significant mortality in stroke patients and was statistically significant (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: ECG abnormalities in stroke patients do not have any prognostic significance, while LV dysfunction had prognostic significance in predicting mortality.