The cardiac consequences of stroke.

Stroke, whether ischemic or hemorrhagic, induces cardiac damage by nonischemic mechanisms. The evidence derives from autopsy studies and investigation of ECG, cardiac enzyme changes, and plasma catecholamine changes after stroke. Increased sympathoadrenal tone, resulting from damage to cortical areas involved in cardiac and autonomic control is the likely cause. Recent experimental evidence indicates that the insular cortex plays a principal role in stroke-related cardiac damage.