Question 1

why didn't th 3 heart catheterizations i have has find the asd or.pfo recently found on an echocardiogram?

Accepted Answer

CATH: Depends on the nature of the test. If all you had was a left heart procedure and coronary angiography, those tests would not show threads or pfo.

Question 2

i recently had an echocardiogram that revealed either an asd or pfo. no further tests have been done yet. the md wants me to have a nuclear stress test. is this safe?

Accepted Answer

Yes: The stress test will demonstrate if your heart is able to tolerate the physiologic leak that you have in your heart. The study should be done where treatment for angina can be given quickly. The test would be stopped if any serious changed in your ekg were seen during exercise.

Question 3

could patent foramen ovale be easily detected by the echocardiogram technician?i ask this as ive had 4 echocrdigrams after mitral prolapse,and mitral valve repair.i have 40 migraine auras a yr and looking for the cause my cousin has this condition.

Accepted Answer

A small: patency (opening) may NOT show up in ultrasound studies!

Hope this is helpful!
Dr Z

Question 4

going on low dose prapranolol gp permission ,worked reduced migraine aura no headache.echocardiagram recently would not find pfo but i could have small pfo causing migraines.cardio said see nuerologist but why not investigate further in cardiology?

Accepted Answer

BECAUSE-: "Multiple studies suggest that migraine with aura is more prevalent in subjects with patent foramen
ovale (PFO) and PFO is more prevalent in subjects who have migraine with aura. It is unclear if
there is a causal relationship or simply a co-existence of these two conditions. "  I recommend that you follow the recommendation of your cardiologist and follow up with a neurologist. Your symptoms &gt;

Question 5

hi. can you please tell me the meaning of - echocardiogram only minor anterior basal hypokinesia - good lv with ejection fraction 76%,  ecg abnormal. ?

Accepted Answer

Echo: You need to discuss with your doctor. This probably is no big deal, but without more information and clarity an answer from out here wouldn't mean much.

Question 6

how life threatening is having a pfo?

Accepted Answer

Zero to bad!: 25% of us have a pfo and obviously most of us do fine.  However i operated on a young lady yesterday (for a related condition) who was in severe congestive heart failure, mostly resolved by closing her pfo.  Closure (if deemed necessary by a cardiologist) can often be achieved with catheter-based technology (amplatzer plug) rather than open-heart surgery.

Question 7

is flecainide dangerous with a pfo
closure ?

Accepted Answer

NO: Flecainide has been shown to be dangerous in the early period following a myocardial infarction (CAST study). That concern is extrapolated to avoid use in anyone with previous MI. The mechanism is related to scarred ventricular myocardium. PFO closure doesn't involve the ventricles and shouldn't be a problem. Flec is great for AF which is an atrial problem, like PFO closure.

Question 8

what is the different between a pfo and ostium secundum?

Accepted Answer

Subtle: You're right that both can cause r to l shunt (and rarely l to r). But everyone is born with a foramen ovale (which is small) and when it fails to close, there is usually a flap and shunting only occurs with increased right atrial pressure (like during straining or cough). A secondum ASD is a fixed pathological defect in the interatrial septum. Size is variable. They're similar but different.

Question 9

what are the risks associated with having a pfo while i am pregnant?

Accepted Answer

Clarify. ASD?: Are you asking if the pregnant mother has a patent foramen ovale, or an atrial septal defect? Most women with ASD in pregnancy do fine, and the management is not really different from normal pregnancy other than a possible baseline echocardiogram. Risks, especially in those over the age of 40 include arrhythmias, heart failure, thromboembolism and severe bleeding at the time of delivery.

Question 10

a newborn with a pfo (patent foramen ovale) has what other conditions?

Accepted Answer

PFO: An opening between two chambers of the heart that will normally close on it's own in a few days or weeks, your pediatrician can follow this in conjunction with a peds cardiologist. Not to worry about other problems neccissarily.

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Doctor answers about:

Meaning PFO on echocardiogram intereptation

A member asked:

Why didn't th 3 heart catheterizations i have has find the asd or.pfo recently found on an echocardiogram?

A member asked:

I recently had an echocardiogram that revealed either an asd or pfo. no further tests have been done yet. the md wants me to have a nuclear stress test. is this safe?

A member asked:

Could patent foramen ovale be easily detected by the echocardiogram technician?i ask this as ive had 4 echocrdigrams after mitral prolapse,and mitral valve repair.i have 40 migraine auras a yr and looking for the cause my cousin has this condition.

A member asked:

Going on low dose prapranolol gp permission ,worked reduced migraine aura no headache.echocardiagram recently would not find pfo but i could have small pfo causing migraines.cardio said see nuerologist but why not investigate further in cardiology?

A member asked:

Hi. can you please tell me the meaning of - echocardiogram only minor anterior basal hypokinesia - good lv with ejection fraction 76%, ecg abnormal. ?

A member asked:

How life threatening is having a pfo?

A member asked:

Is flecainide dangerous with a pfo closure ?

A member asked:

What is the different between a pfo and ostium secundum?

A member asked:

What are the risks associated with having a pfo while i am pregnant?

A member asked:

A newborn with a pfo (patent foramen ovale) has what other conditions?

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