CAROTID ARTERY STENOSIS

Course overview

THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN HEMODYNAMIC AND EMBOLIC STROKE IN THE SETTING OF CHRONIC INTERNAL CAROTID ARTERY OCCLUSION IS IMPORTANT. EMBOLIC SYMPTOMS ARE THOSE OF CLASSIC STROKE OR TRANSIENT ISCHEMIC ATTACK (TIA) AND TYPICALLY ARE FOCAL. SYMPTOMS MAY INCLUDE CONTRALATERAL MOTOR OR SENSORY DEFICITS OR AMAUROSIS. HEMODYNAMIC SYMPTOMS MAY BE SIMILAR TO THOSE OF CLASSIC STROKE OR TIA BUT MAY ALSO BE LESS PREDICTABLE AND ATYPICAL. PATIENTS HAVE REPORTED SYMPTOMS SUCH AS LIMB SHAKING, RETINAL CLAUDICATION, HEADACHE FROM LARGE PULSATILE EXTERNAL CAROTID ARTERY COLLATERALS, SYNCOPE, AND GENERALIZED FATIGUE. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, PRESENTATION, AND DIAGNOSIS OF CAROTID ARTERY STENOSIS AND DISCUSSES THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ITS MANAGEMENT.