TY - JOUR
T1 - Management of patients with stroke and a patent foramen ovale
AU - Rodriguez, Carlos J.
AU - Homma, Shunichi
PY - 2004/1
Y1 - 2004/1
N2 - Observational studies have established a strong association between the presence of patent foramen ovale (PFO) and increased risk of ischemic stroke. The mechanism involved is presumed to be a paradoxical embolism from a venous thrombus that travels via the PFO to the systemic circulation. The best treatment modality to prevent recurrent stroke in patients with PFO remains undefined. There are four major choices: 1) medical therapy with anticoagulants, 2) medical therapy with antiplatelet agents, 3) surgical closure, and 4) percutaneous device closure. The Patent Foramen Ovate in Cryptogenic Stroke Study has demonstrated that antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapies are of equal benefit in preventing recurrent neurologic events in stroke patients with a PFO. Medical therapy should remain as the initial choice of secondary prophylactic therapy. PFO closure, either surgical or percutaneous, may further reduce event rates; however, this remains to be demonstrated because no randomized trial to date has compared PFO closure with medical therapy.
AB - Observational studies have established a strong association between the presence of patent foramen ovale (PFO) and increased risk of ischemic stroke. The mechanism involved is presumed to be a paradoxical embolism from a venous thrombus that travels via the PFO to the systemic circulation. The best treatment modality to prevent recurrent stroke in patients with PFO remains undefined. There are four major choices: 1) medical therapy with anticoagulants, 2) medical therapy with antiplatelet agents, 3) surgical closure, and 4) percutaneous device closure. The Patent Foramen Ovate in Cryptogenic Stroke Study has demonstrated that antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapies are of equal benefit in preventing recurrent neurologic events in stroke patients with a PFO. Medical therapy should remain as the initial choice of secondary prophylactic therapy. PFO closure, either surgical or percutaneous, may further reduce event rates; however, this remains to be demonstrated because no randomized trial to date has compared PFO closure with medical therapy.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=1542750031&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=1542750031&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11910-004-0006-8
DO - 10.1007/s11910-004-0006-8
M3 - Review article
C2 - 14683623
AN - SCOPUS:1542750031
SN - 1528-4042
VL - 4
SP - 19
EP - 22
JO - Current neurology and neuroscience reports
JF - Current neurology and neuroscience reports
IS - 1
ER -