ABSTRACT
Between 17 and 27% of the population has a patent foramen ovale (PFO) based on autopsy
studies. Given these percentages, a PFO could be considered a variant of normal cardiac
anatomy and not an anomaly. As this anatomy is so prevalent in the normal population,
it is likely that there are other factors involved in patients who have a PFO and
a stroke. This review will evaluate the existing literature on PFO and stroke to determine
what constitutes an increased risk of embolic events in patients with PFO. Given the
paucity of existing literature, it is clear from this review that there is a vital
need for randomized clinical trials to answer important questions, including what
constitutes high-risk anatomy and optimal treatment for patients for the prevention
of recurrent stroke.
KEYWORDS
Patent foramen ovale - atrial septal aneurysm - paradoxical embolism - stroke
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Carole E ThomasM.D.
Associate Professor of Neurology, Department of Neurology
Drexel University College of Medicine, 245 N. 15th Street
MS 423, Philadelphia, PA 19102