Most common cause of cardioembolic stroke is: (A) Non rheumatic atrial fibrillation, (B) Myocardial infarction, (C) Ischemic cardiomyopathy, (D) Prosthetic valves
Answer is A. Nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation is the most common cause of cerebral embolism overall. The presumed stroke mechanism is thrombus formation in the fibrillating atrium or atrial appendage, with subsequent embolization. Patients with atrial fibrillation have an average annual risk of stroke of ~5%.MI, prosthetic valves, rheumatic hea disease, and ischemic cardiomyopathy are other causes.Ref: Harrison 19e pg: 2564