Myocardial infarction beginning with cerebral symptoms in 30 cases of cardiocerebral apoplexy.

A clinicopathological analysis of myocardial infarction with an onset of stroke-like symptoms was carried out on 30 autopsy cases at the Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital. The cases were classified into four groups according to the types of brain lesions, I: embolism (n = 17), II: thrombosis (n = 9), III: bleeding (n = 2), and IV: no remarkable focal lesion (n = 2). Classification was made based on clinical findings, and pathological features. The characteristic clinical findings were conciousness disturbance, no elevation of blood pressure at the onset of stroke, hemiplegia and shock. However, the typical anginal chest pain was found in only 17% of cases. The underlying diseases and complications were hypertension, atrial fibrillation (Af), disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), renal failure, malignant neoplasma, and diabetes mellitus. The incidences of Af, DIC, mural thrombus, non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE) were significantly higher in the group with cerebral embolism than in the group with cerebral thrombosis. The coronary stenotic index was also smaller in the group with cerebral embolism. Therefore, the major etiology of cardio-cerebral apoplexy was a simultaneous embolism to the brain and heart due to Af, NBTE or, DIC.