Patients with cerebral embolism should visit the department of neurology.

Cerebral embolism is not a special disease but rather one type of cerebral infarction. Cerebral infarction generally includes two types: cerebral thrombosis and cerebral embolism. The former refers to the formation of a thrombus at the site of the vessel occlusion. The latter involves a thrombus originating from another location, which blocks the vessel at the infarct site. The sources of such thrombi are varied, with the most common being from the heart, frequently seen in patients with long-term chronic atrial fibrillation. This condition forms a mural thrombus in the atrium, which, during episodes of atrial fibrillation, can detach, be flushed by the blood stream into the brain, and cause cerebral embolism. Secondly, it occurs in cardiac valve diseases, such as rheumatic heart disease, mitral valve alterations, and others. There are also some other sources of thrombi, such as tumor-induced cancer, amniotic fluid embolism in pregnant women, and fat embolism in patients with fractures.