Acute Ischemic Stroke as Complication in COVID-19 with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Intensive Care Unit: A Review

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has broad spectrum of manifestation ranging from asymptomatic cases to multi-organs failures. Cerebrovascular disease COVID-19 patients are still a big issue among neurologist. Neurologic manifestations are shown to be the first or late presentation in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Ischemic stroke had happened majority than hemorrhage stroke in patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 and comorbid such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, or cardiovascular disease. Acute respiratory distress syndrome is predictable complication of COVID-19 that will ended with prolonged hospitalization and comprehensive management in intensive care unit (ICU). Anticoagulant is believed to have proven advantage to prevent this thrombogenesis. Patients with acute ischemic stroke as COVID-19 have poorer prognosis. Managing patients with ischemic stroke within the ICU are challenging due to prior use of anticoagulant as preventive of thrombosis that increase the risk of intracranial hemorrhage.