Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Lacunar infarcts: no black holes in the brain are benign.

Norrving, Bo LU (2008) In Practical Neurology 8(4). p.222-228
Abstract
Lacunar infarcts--small subcortical infarcts that result from occlusion of a single penetrating artery--account for about one quarter of all ischaemic strokes. However, there are many diagnostic pitfalls, and causes other than penetrating small vessel disease in up to one third of cases. Recent studies have shown that the prognosis after lacunar infarcts is not benign; the risk of recurrent stroke is no lower than for other ischaemic stroke subtypes, and there is an increased risk for cognitive decline, dementia and death in the long term. Furthermore, silent small vessel disease in the brain at the time of an index stroke has significant prognostic implications. In the acute phase, response to intravenous thrombolysis appears to be... (More)
Lacunar infarcts--small subcortical infarcts that result from occlusion of a single penetrating artery--account for about one quarter of all ischaemic strokes. However, there are many diagnostic pitfalls, and causes other than penetrating small vessel disease in up to one third of cases. Recent studies have shown that the prognosis after lacunar infarcts is not benign; the risk of recurrent stroke is no lower than for other ischaemic stroke subtypes, and there is an increased risk for cognitive decline, dementia and death in the long term. Furthermore, silent small vessel disease in the brain at the time of an index stroke has significant prognostic implications. In the acute phase, response to intravenous thrombolysis appears to be similar to other subtypes of ischaemic strokes. Antiplatelet drugs, careful blood pressure control, statins and modification of lifestyle risk factors are key elements in secondary prevention after lacunar infarcts. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Practical Neurology
volume
8
issue
4
pages
222 - 228
publisher
BMJ Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • pmid:18644908
  • scopus:49249126161
  • pmid:18644908
ISSN
1474-7758
DOI
10.1136/jnnp.2008.153601
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
8419e709-77fa-4d5f-a20d-9b7ef16fe268 (old id 1180951)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18644908?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 08:54:09
date last changed
2022-04-15 21:02:09
@article{8419e709-77fa-4d5f-a20d-9b7ef16fe268,
  abstract     = {{Lacunar infarcts--small subcortical infarcts that result from occlusion of a single penetrating artery--account for about one quarter of all ischaemic strokes. However, there are many diagnostic pitfalls, and causes other than penetrating small vessel disease in up to one third of cases. Recent studies have shown that the prognosis after lacunar infarcts is not benign; the risk of recurrent stroke is no lower than for other ischaemic stroke subtypes, and there is an increased risk for cognitive decline, dementia and death in the long term. Furthermore, silent small vessel disease in the brain at the time of an index stroke has significant prognostic implications. In the acute phase, response to intravenous thrombolysis appears to be similar to other subtypes of ischaemic strokes. Antiplatelet drugs, careful blood pressure control, statins and modification of lifestyle risk factors are key elements in secondary prevention after lacunar infarcts.}},
  author       = {{Norrving, Bo}},
  issn         = {{1474-7758}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{222--228}},
  publisher    = {{BMJ Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{Practical Neurology}},
  title        = {{Lacunar infarcts: no black holes in the brain are benign.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.2008.153601}},
  doi          = {{10.1136/jnnp.2008.153601}},
  volume       = {{8}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}