Carotid Artery Disease

Abstract

Atherosclerosis with carotid plaque-induced luminal narrowing causes asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis (ACAS) in ~10% of older adults and the vast majority remain undetected (de Weerd et al., Stroke 40(4):1105-1113, 2009; O’Leary et al., Stroke 23(12):1752-1760, 1992). Medical advancements in recent decades have increased life expectancy substantially, leading to an increased incidence of carotid disease, since the prevalence of carotid stenosis increases steeply with advanced age (Fairhead and Rothwell, Br Med J 333(7567):525-527, 2006). The advent of new imaging modalities such as computed tomography angiography (CTA), magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), cerebral angiography, and carotid Doppler ultrasound (CDUS) made it possible to diagnose patients with carotid disease prior to the onset of symptoms.