Chou YL, Liou JT, Cheng CC, et al. - Researchers used a population-based nation-wide cohort database to examine the link between ischaemic stroke (IS) and heart failure (HF) in the absence of atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter (AFL). They enrolled newly diagnosed patients with HF without prior stroke and acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Overall 12,179 patients with HF and 12,179 patients without HF were analyzed. A marked link of older age, male gender, diabetes and hypertension, with IS was revealed in patients with HF in the multivariable analysis. The HF group demonstrated a markedly higher risk of IS than did the non-HF group and AMI. Overall, HF was identified as a strong independent risk factor for IS, even in the absence of AF or AFL. Routine screening and careful monitoring of HF patients was recommended to investigate IS.