Management of Atherosclerotic Carotid Artery Disease: A Brief Overview and Update

Sara Hassani; Marc Fisher

doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2021.09.027

Management of Atherosclerotic Carotid Artery Disease: A Brief Overview and Update

Am J Med. 2022 Apr;135(4):430-434. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2021.09.027. Epub 2021 Oct 31.

Authors

Sara Hassani¹, Marc Fisher²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass. Electronic address: sara.hassani@gmail.com.
² Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.

PMID: 34732352
DOI: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2021.09.027

Abstract

Extracranial carotid atherosclerotic disease has been associated with approximately 15%-20% of ischemic stroke cases and is a leading cause of mortality and disability worldwide. Medical, surgical, and endovascular therapies for the prevention of stroke from carotid disease have advanced considerably over the past quarter century. The objective of this review is to outline the clinical presentation of symptomatic carotid artery stenosis and the risk factors associated with development of carotid artery stenosis and then summarize the current evidence-based medical treatment modalities, along with available surgical and endovascular therapies.

Keywords: Carotid artery atherosclerotic disease; Carotid artery stenting; Carotid endarterectomy; Ischemic stroke prevention; Transcarotid revascularization.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Atherosclerosis* / complications
Atherosclerosis* / therapy
Carotid Stenosis* / complications
Carotid Stenosis* / surgery
Endarterectomy, Carotid* / adverse effects
Endovascular Procedures*
Humans
Risk Factors
Stents / adverse effects
Stroke* / etiology
Stroke* / prevention & control
Treatment Outcome