Implications of COVID-19 to Stroke Medicine: An Epidemiological and
Pathophysiological Perspective

Alan      King; Karen   M.   Doyle
Abstract

The neurological complications of Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) including stroke have been documented in the recent literature. COVID-19-related inflammation is suggested to contribute to both a hypercoagulable state and haemorrhagic transformation, including in younger individuals.
COVID-19 is associated with a heightened risk of ischaemic stroke. Haemorrhagic stroke in COVID-19 patients is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) accounts for <1% of stroke cases in the general population but has come to heightened public attention due to the increased risk associated with adenoviral COVID-19 vaccines. However, recent evidence suggests the prevalence of stroke is less in vaccinated individuals than in unvaccinated COVID-19 patients. This review evaluates the current evidence of COVID-19-related ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke, with a focus on current epidemiology and inflammatory-linked pathophysiology in the field of vascular neurology and stroke medicine.
Keywords: Ischaemic stroke, haemorrhagic stroke, COVID-19, inflammation, cerebrovascular disease, hypercoagulable state.
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Cite As
Current Vascular Pharmacology

Implications of COVID-19 to Stroke Medicine: An Epidemiological and Pathophysiological Perspective

Abstract
