Picture by American Heart Association
Atrial Septal Defect & PFO Heart Treatment
A hole in the heart sounds like it would be a problem in itself, but more than a quarter of the population has one. In fact, the vast majority of those affected don’t even know it.
There are two kinds of holes in the heart.
- Atrial septal defect (ASD)
- Patent foramen ovale (PFO).
Both are holes in the wall of the tissue between the left and right upper chambers of the heart.
If you are needing treatment for either ASD or PFO, schedule an appointment with one of our doctors today!
Most don’t realize whether they have a hole unless they are having symptoms like severe migraines, TIA or experience a stroke. Although the prevalence of PFO, according to the American Heart Association, is about 25% in the general population, it increases to about 40 to 50% in patients who have a stroke of unknown cause. This is especially true in patients who have had a stroke before age 55. PFO is diagnosed with an echocardiogram.
Picture by American Heart Association
Nothing will close the hole except open-heart surgery or a closure device placed by a catheter threaded from the groin through the veins to the heart. Until recently, there were no approved catheter-closure devices designed for PFOs.
Learn more about ASD & PFO.
If you have a medical question including medication requests or would like to schedule an appointment, please call our main line at 719-776-8500.
