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Closure of a Patent Foramen Ovale PFO: An Intervention Sequence
Published on: December 23, 2022
Patent Foramen Ovale and Acute Mountain Sickness
Brian West1, Jonathan M Tobis2
1Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group.
Abstract:
Acute mountain sickness (AMS) commonly plagues people who travel to high altitude and can be life threatening. Clinically, AMS is defined by a constellation of symptoms as outlined in the Lake Louise Criteria. The underlying etiology is thought to be related to a decrease in partial pressure of oxygen leading to tissue hypoxia. Patent foramen ovale (PFO) has been postulated to play a role in AMS through right-to-left shunt, which can worsen hypoxemia. Recent data demonstrate a higher prevalence of PFO in hikers with AMS. Future studies are needed to further elucidate the relationship between PFO and AMS.
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