Introduction Asymptomatic stenosis of the carotid artery is not an uncommon finding encountered by many doctors in clinical practice. The common question that comes up is What is the management of these patients? Should they undergo carotid revascularization surgery? Current guidelines recommend revascularization in most patients with severe asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis.
However, these guidelines are based on older studies that do not reflect the changing natural history of asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis with current optimal medical management. Conventional treatment Current recommendations for revascularization for asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis are predominantly based on two landmark studies performed in the 1990s. The Asymptomatic Carotid Artery Study (ACAS) was a well-conducted study that assessed carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in asymptomatic carotid artery…
