PFO and stroke prevention

I know lots of people have had them closed and doctors defintely believe that they prevent strokes. You might want to read these articles and have a discussion with your doctor.
PFO is patent foramen ovale
Your doctors may believe in these research results;
Evidence that patent foramen ovale is not a risk factor for cerebral ischemia in the elderly
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T10-4C76D61-198&_user=10&_coverDate=09%2F15%2F1994&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=gateway&_origin=gateway&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1714591582&_rerunOrigin=google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=0fb5de159407f71441f868fb8045f566&searchtype=a
or this one;
Practice parameters are developed according to a strict protocol insuring that recommendations will be evidence based. This parameter addressed prognosis and therapy for patients with PFO and stroke; we did not specifically address diagnosis. Since the evidence to date suggests that PFO alone does not increase the risk of future stroke or death, but the combination of PFO and ASA may increase risk in younger patients, we concluded that “studies which can identify PFO or ASA may be considered
http://www.neurology.org/content/62/7/1042.abstract/reply

Luckily I didn't have this as long as I believe that Ockham's razor is true. For me there is the possibility that I do have one. My brother was a blue baby - meaning that he had a hole between the right and left atriums allowing unoxygenated blood to circulate thru the body, resulting is a bluish tinge to the skin. He died during open-heart surgery at age 11.