PERCUTANEOUS CLOSURE OF PATENT FORAMEN OVALE IS ASSOCIATED WITH LOWER INCIDENCE CRYPTOGENIC STROKES AMONG PATIENTS WITH INHERITED THROMBOPHIALIAS TREATED WITH ANTICOAGULANT OR ANTIAGGREGANT THERAPY

Abstract

Background: Cryptogenic stroke is a dreadful outcome for patients with patent foramen ovales (PFO's). Higher incidences of cryptogenic strokes are reported in patients with PFO's and inherited thrombophilias (ITs) such as the Prothrombin and Factor V Leiden mutations. Since carriers of IT's are