Could a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) cause a stroke?
DVT is a condition in which a blood clot forms in a large vein in a muscle, usually in the leg or pelvic region. There is a risk that a fragment of this clot may break off and get lodged in a blood vessel supplying the lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism (PE). Normally the clot can’t get into the arterial circulation supplying the brain. So most people who have a DVT or PE need not be concerned about having a stroke. However some people have a heart condition called patent foramen ovale (PFO) or ‘hole in the heart’ and in this condition there is a connection between the right and left chamber of the heart. This means that a clot could travel through to the left side of the heart into the arterial circulation which could then potentially cause a stroke or heart attack. This happens very rarely.
