A Commentary on “Low Utility of Short-Term Rhythm Assessment Before Long-Term Rhythm Monitoring in Patients With Cryptogenic Stroke”

Cryptogenic stroke, defined as acute ischemic stroke without a clear identifiable cause, accounts for approximately 1/3 of acute ischemic stroke cases. Undiagnosed atrial fibrillation (AF) is likely the leading underlying cause of such presentations; hence, cardiac rhythm monitoring is key to the diagnostic work-up. Commonly, long-term monitoring (LTM) using implantable cardiac monitors (ICMs) is indicated after a negative period of short-term monitoring (STM). However, the low diagnostic yield of STM prompts the question: would directly proceeding to LTM represent a more cost-effective approach?
Source: The American Journal of Cardiology - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: Editorial Source Type: research