title: [Patent foramen ovale - an unsuspected defect in the body].
abstract: PFO-closure for secondary stroke prevention proved to be superior over medical therapy. This was shown in several meta-analyses of the three large randomized trials. According to the current evidence, PFO-closure should be the preferred therapy in this setting. PFO-closure for primary prevention makes sense and should be considered in patients with a disease associated with PFO (e.g. migraine, sleep apnea).
authors.affiliation: 1 Strukturelle Interventionelle Kardiologie, Universitäres Herzzentrum, Universitätsspital Zürich.
authors.forename: Fabian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nietlispach
mesh_terms: D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D054092:Foramen Ovale, Patent / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D020521:Stroke / Q000517:prevention & control
keywords: Prävention; Schlaganfall; offenes Foramen ovale; patent foramen ovale; prevention; stroke