This study is investigating a potential link between a novel measurement made on cardiac ultrasound and the risk of ischemic stroke in patients with a normal heart rhythm. The novel measurement is called left atrial strain. It uses speckle tracking echocardiography to measure the muscle function of the left atrium, one of the cardiac chambers. Investigators investigated whether patients with lower function of this chamber are at a higher risk of developing stroke from blood clots traveling to the brain. It is already known that patients with an irregular heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation are at higher risk of these types of strokes. Investigators wanted to determine if there is a similar association in patients with normal heart rhythm but low left atrial strain.
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Correlation between left atrial strain and acute ischaemic stroke
Timeframe: 2 weeks