Circulation monitoring in anterior cerebral arteries in hypertensive patients with ischemic stroke, without hemodynamically significant stenosis in extracranial arteries.

INTRODUCTION

The current project was aimed at elucidating whether blood pressure fluctuations in hypertensive patients with ischemic stroke, not characterized by hemodynamically significant stenosis in carotid arteries and proximal segments of intracranial arteries lead to circulation disturbances in anterior cerebral arteries (ACAs) as visualized by transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD).

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

Sixty two hypertensive patients with the first ever ischemic stroke were included in the study with the average age of 65.16 +/- 11.52 years. Systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP) and mean (MBP) blood pressure values were analyzed. The following parameters were calculated based on the obtained blood flow velocity spectra: mean velocity (Vmean), pulsatility index (PI) and resistance index (RI).

RESULTS

A significant decrease of SBP, DBP and MBP occurred between the first and second day of observation, and no correlation between a reduction in arterial pressure and ACAs blood flow parameters was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

In hypertensive patients with ischemic stroke, not characterized by hemodynamically significant stenosis within carotid arteries and proximal segments of anterior cerebral arteries, fluctuations of arterial blood pressure do not cause substantial disturbances of circulation in the ACAs, as visualized by TCD.