We evaluated prospectively the occurrence of seizures within 15 days o
f a first stroke or transient ischemic episode in 1,640 patients to st
udy relation between seizures and type of stroke. Seizures occurred in
90 patients (5.4%), including 36 (4.4%) of 814 with infarct owing to
atheroma, 21 (16.6%) of 126 with infarct owing to cardiogenic embolus,
3 (1%) of 273 owing to lacunar infarct, 5 (1.9%) of 259 owing to tran
sient ischemic attack (TIA), 21 (16.2%) of 129 owing to supratentorial
hematoma, and 4 (16.6%) of 24 owing to subarachnoid hemorrhage. Thirt
een (14.6%) of 89 subcortical infarcts were associated with seizures.
Seizures were the initial sign of stroke in 80 (89%) of 90 cases and w
ere usually single and partial. Seizure symptoms were most often motor
, sensory, or visual.