Increased Risk of Cryptogenic Stroke Associated with Patent Foramen Ovale in Young Adults

Cureus. 2024 Feb 3;16(2):e53502. doi: 10.7759/cureus.53502. eCollection 2024 Feb.ABSTRACTIschemic stroke is defined as a reduction in blood flow to brain tissue that results in the deterioration and death of neurons in a matter of minutes. While often seen in older patients with a history of atherosclerosis of the major arteries, a subset of ischemic strokes occur in younger individuals with minimal to no prior risk factors. Further evaluation of these unknown, or cryptogenic, strokes has yielded positive findings of a patent foramen ovale (PFO) in a concerning number of cases. Cryptogenic strokes attributable to PFO present an important clinical occurrence because they do not fit the typical template regarding those most at risk for such acutely devastating outcomes, making their identification uniquely important for both immediate and long-term patient care. A 20-year-old Hispanic female presented to the emergency department for evaluation of neurological symptoms indicating obstruction of a major cerebral vessel. After being placed on stroke alert and found to have an embolus occluding the left middle cerebral artery (MCA) via non-contrast computed tomography (CT), tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) was administered, and mechanical thrombectomy was performed to restore blood flow. Following stabilization, further testing done on the patient revealed a substantial PFO that likely allowed for the crossing of an embolus from venous blood returning to the heart directly into t...
Source: Atherosclerosis - Category: Cardiology Authors: Source Type: research