Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 4G/5G Polymorphism Presenting as Recurrent Ischemic Stroke: The Microthrombi Shower

Certain clinical scenarios should alert a physician to take a deeper look into causative pathological processes. This was evident in the case of a 41-year-old man who presented for recurrent micro thromboembolic strokes, which is atypical for the patient’s age. Our desire to explain the pathological process led to the rare finding of a plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 polymorphism, which has been associated with an increased risk of cerebrovascular thrombosis. A defect in this pathway leads to the inhibition of the tissue plasminogen activator protein. This genetic polymorphism has relatively been unexplored in recent medical literature, and we are hoping that our case may inspire future research that could help potential targets of risk factor stratifications as well as the development of novel pharmacological options.