Abstract
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the absence of coronary artery disease has been demonstrated in a proportion of presenting cases ranging from <1%1 to 6%.2 Studies in which young stroke victims were examined have shown that there is a significantly higher proportion of these young persons who possess a patent foramen ovale (PFO)3–5 than patients without stroke. The researchers involved in these studies postulate that right to left shunting occurs during a transient reversal of the normal interatrial pressure gradient. In the presence of right-sided thrombus, this could result in paradoxical cerebral embolism. Similarly, if such an embolus were to find its way into a coronary artery, occlusion and infarction could result.5,6 The present study examined patients with AMI who had little or no coronary artery disease in an effort to determine if the frequency of PFO was higher than in the general population.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.