Pathological links between stroke and cardiac arrest

Abstract

There may be a pathological connection between cardiac failure and ischemic stroke. In this article we describe pertinent research that demonstrates subsequent death of cardiac and neural myocytes in the post ischemic stroke brain. Current stroke therapy overlooks the connection between cardiac and cerebrovascular events and fails to address the shared risk factors. Current pre-clinical stroke investigations have provided evidence that suggests the presence of an indirect cell death pathway in which toxic molecules emanate from the stroke brain and trigger cardiac cell death. On the other hand, other studies highlight the presence of a reverse cell death cascade in which toxic molecules from the heart, following cardiac arrest, travel to the brain and induce ischemic cell death. Further examination of these putative cell death pathways between ischemic stroke and cardiac arrest will prompt the advancement of innovative treatments specifically targeting both diseases, leading to ameliorated clinical results of patients diagnosed with heart failure and ischemic stroke.