Rethinking Stroke Risk in Patients with Atherosclerotic Carotid Stenosis
-Multicenter study suggests stroke prevention guidelines may underestimate risk in patients with symptomatic mild carotid stenosis-
Summary
Current risk assessment guidelines for ischemic stroke may underestimate patients with mild carotid stenosis. A Japanese multicenter study found that unstable plaque—particularly intraplaque hemorrhage—was a key stroke predictor. Surgical intervention, such as carotid endarterectomy, significantly reduced stroke risk compared to medical therapy alone. These findings could prompt a shift in how physicians assess and treat mild but symptomatic carotid artery disease.
Figure 1. Researchers examined the clinical features, radiological findings, and treatment outcomes of patients with symptomatic mild carotid stenosis, seeking to improve current medical guidelines for the management of this patient population.
Research Details
Rethinking Stroke Risk in Patients with Atherosclerotic Carotid Stenosis[PDF, 3MB]
Details of the Paper
Title
Clinical features, radiological findings, and outcome in patients with symptomatic mild carotid stenosis: a MUSIC study
Journal
Journal of Neurosurgery