Perspective on PFO in Cryptogenic Stroke

Kizer and Devereux review the role of patent foramen ovale (PFO) in the pathogenesis of stroke. They focus on young and middle-aged adults with cryptogenic stroke. The authors begin with some background. PFO is present in one quarter of autopsied hearts in the general population and is the most common cardiac abnormality uncovered by echocardiography in patients with ischemic stroke. However, only an estimated 1 in 1000 healthy people with a PFO experiences a stroke. Case-control data have shown that patients younger than 55 with unexplained stroke are …