Cerebral embolism is a type of cerebral infarction, but not completely identical to cerebral infarction. Cerebral embolism occurs when an embolus from another part of the body outside the brain detaches and blocks a cerebral blood vessel. Cerebral embolism generally has a sudden onset, with a rapid development of symptoms, reaching a peak in a very short time, potentially causing severe conditions such as coma and paralysis of limbs within a short period. Common sources of emboli include arterial plaques in the neck vessels, particularly soft arterial plaques that are prone to detachment, forming an embolus that can obstruct cerebral vessels. Another common source of emboli is the detachment of mural thrombi from the inner walls of the heart, typically seen in patients with atrial fibrillation, where thrombi tend to form on the heart's inner walls and can detach to block cerebral vessels. Treatment includes the use of antiplatelet or blood-activating and stasis-dissolving drugs, as well as medications to stabilize plaques. It is vital to actively treat the primary disease, such as using anti-arrhythmic drugs for patients with atrial fibrillation.