Prolonged rhythm monitoring in the patient with stroke and transient ischemic attack

Stroke patients undergo prolonged cardiac monitoring based on concern that those currently classified as having a cryptogenic cause and treated with antiplatelet therapy may actually have paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and merit anticoagulation for secondary stroke prevention. Technological advances have produced monitoring devices that can be applied to any patient, are capable of capturing electrocardiogram information accurately and continuously, and can relay critical data to the physician promptly. Even if monitors can detect arrhythmias with perfect accuracy, it has not been demonstrated in clinical trials that more strokes can be prevented by anticoagulation guided by the findings of prolonged rhythm monitoring.