Role of patent foramen ovale in migraine etiology and treatment: a review.

An increased prevalence between patent formen ovale (PFOs) and migraine exists but there is conflicting data regarding causal relationship between these two conditions. It is controversial whether cardiac screening and intervention like PFO closure provides any benefit in this population and so this area still remains under intense investigation. The management of migraine lies at the intersection between the practice of primary care physicians, neurologists, and cardiologists. There is no consensus as to what is the best practice for the evaluation of these patients with difficult to control migraine given the millions of dollars spent on physician visits and pharmacotherapy. This review seeks to summarize the current literature on this association and studies that have investigated PFO closure in this population.