Carotid stenosis: epidemiology and symptomatology

Risk factors for atherosclerotic carotid stenoses are smoking, arterial hyp ertension, diabetes mellitus and hypercholesterolaemia. Atherosclerotic car otid artery disease is a risk factor for the development of coronary artery disease (CAD), and in older men the risk of CAD-related death is five time s higher than the risk of death related to ischaemic stroke. The prevalence of >50% carotid stenoses in population-based studies in 6-11% for older me n and 5-7% in older women. Diagnosis and differential diagnosis of ischaemi a-related ophthalmologic and neurological deficits in the territory of the carotid artery are discussed.