Covid-19 infection and stroke

The actual Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection is an ongoing pandemic, characterized by high morbidity and mortality produced by SARS-CoV-2 virus Studies reported a stroke frequency around 5-20% in infected patients;however, SNC invasion and pathophysiological mechanisms related to stroke in COVID-19 patients are still unknown Several studies have demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 infection is linked to a prothrombotic state causing venous and arterial thromboembolism Also, an overstated inflammatory response with recruitment of blood cells and disproportioned secretion of proinflammatory cytokines has been reported Finally, cardioembolism and hypoxia have been proposed as surrogate mechanisms It is essential to define the pathophysiological mechanisms of stroke during the infection in order to apply more specific treatments to avoid further stroke complications © 2021, Editorial Ciencias Medicas All rights reserved