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Patent foramen ovale in elderly stroke patients
R R Lewis1, A Hussain, K A Rashed
1Department of Geriatric and General Medicine, Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital, NHS Trust, London, UK.
International Journal of Clinical Practice
|January 5, 2002
Summary
In elderly stroke patients, 19% had a patent foramen ovale (PFO). PFO presence was not strongly linked to other stroke risk factors in this group.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Neurology
- Geriatrics
Background:
- Cerebral infarction is a common cause of stroke in the elderly.
- Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a potential, yet debated, risk factor for stroke.
- Identifying PFO incidence and associated risk factors in this demographic is crucial for stroke prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence of echocardiographically detected PFO in elderly patients with cerebral infarction.
- To assess the association between PFO and other established stroke risk factors in this population.
Main Methods:
- Transesophageal echocardiography was used to assess 43 consecutive patients aged 65 years or older admitted with cerebral infarction.
- Patients were evaluated for the presence of PFO and other stroke risk factors, including atrial fibrillation and diabetes mellitus.
Main Results:
- A patent foramen ovale (PFO) was detected in 8 out of 43 patients (19%).
- Among patients with PFO, 50% had other stroke risk factors (atrial fibrillation or diabetes).
- In patients without PFO (81%), a higher prevalence of risk factors was observed (83%), with many having multiple risk factors.
Conclusions:
- The incidence of PFO in elderly patients with cerebral infarction is 19%.
- The presence of PFO in this study was not strongly associated with other common stroke risk factors.
- Further research is needed to clarify the role of PFO in elderly stroke patients, especially in the context of other comorbidities.
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