Stroke and PFO
Stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted. Stroke is more prevalent in people over 60 who smoke, have diabetes or chronic high blood pressure, but most people are very surprised to find out that stroke can occur in those who are young, fit and healthy. This is usually due to the […]
Decompression Illness and PFO
SCUBA divers who suffer from decompression illness are extremely likely to have a Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) or Atrial Septal Defect (ASD). In addition, divers who suffer from migraine with aura have a higher incidence of PFO than other divers. Decompression illness (DCI) or the ‘Bends’ is due the nitrogen gas accumulation in the blood stream, tissues and […]
Migrane and PFO
The cause of migraine is dependent on multiple environmental and genetic factors. It is commonly accepted that migraine is a neurological disorder, but our studies show that for some people, a cardiac condition is a major contributing factor – thus our neuro-cardiac solution clinic was borne. The link to PFO We’ve discovered one contributor to […]
Screening for a PFO
PFO can be very difficult to detect even when we are looking specifically for it. A standard cardiac ultrasound or echocardiogram through the chest wall is not sensitive enough to pick up a PFO, nor can a PFO be heard through a stethoscope. The current ‘gold standard’ test to confirm a PFO is a Trans-Oesophageal […]
How do I know if I have a PFO?
As it turns out, the most accurate and non-invasive way to test for a hole in the heart is not to look at the heart at all, but to look at your brain! My sonographer, Dan Traves and I have been pioneering this method in Australia for many years – thus Heartbrain Private Clinic’s neuro-cardiac […]