Acute cerebral infarction with acute myocardial infarction due to patent foramen ovale: A case report

RATIONALE: Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is not considered to be the main cause of stroke and is classified as the infarction of undetermined cause. The relationship between PFO and cerebral embolism is still unclear and cerebral embolism accompanied with coronary artery embolization in PFO patient is rare. In this case, we reported a patient with PFO suffered acute cerebral and myocardial infarction simultaneously, and analyzed the source of emboli and potential pathogenesis. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 53-year-old female presented with chief complaints of intermittent palpitations and chest tightness for 6 years, aggravated for 3 days. DIAGNOSES: During the hospitalization, acute cerebral infarction and acute myocardial infarction occurred at the same time in the patient. The patient felt paroxysmal abdominal pain repeatedly. Finally, we detected PFO in the patient INTERVENTIONS: Double antiplatelet therapy was given to the patient of acute cerebral and myocardial infarction with PFO. OUTCOMES: Two weeks after the onset of the disease, the condition was relatively stable. But after 2 months, the patient experienced repeated heart failure, transthoracic echocardiography manifested no significant change in the PFO gap but significant cardiac function reduction. LESSONS: Although a growing number of people are aware that PFO is a risk factor for arterial embolization especially when coexisting with atrial septal aneurysm, a significant proportion of patients have paradoxical embolism after PFO closure. Therefore, transesophageal echocardiography should be routinely performed to find the possible cause of embolism when infarction of undetermined cause occurs, and PFO closure and anti-platelet aggregation or anticoagulant therapy should be given at the same time in order to reduce the occurrence of arterial thrombosis.