Patent foramen ovale closure in older patients: have we been barking up the wrong tree? Society for Cardiac Angiography & Interventions 16755591

摘要

Any form of stroke in a young patient is particularly disastrous. When we see a young patient with a stroke in his/her third or fourth decade, we want to do something to help. Thus, the connection between patent foramen ovale (PFO) and embolic strokes in patients less than 55 years of age has attracted the attention of inter-ventional cardiologists, and we are quick to identify the PFO as a culprit. Percutaneous closure is quick and easy (usually); we have done something to help (possibly); and everyone is happy (most of the time). The problem, of course, is that almost any strategy for therapy in this group of patients seems successful, because recurrent event rates are low.