What are the nonstroke related neurologic complications of cardiac disease?
Cardiac arrhythmias (especially sick sinus syndrome) may produce decreased cardiac output, causing syncope, and, rarely, encephalopathy.
Cerebral blood flow can be altered due to changes in cerebral autoregulation caused by abnormal autonomic vagal activity associated with cardiac disease.
Persistent decreased brain perfusion, such as in the case of cardiac arrest or cardiogenic shock, may lead to laminar necrosis of the cerebral cortex or hippocampus.
