PURPOSE: Carotid disease is known as the main individual cause of stroke. It is necessary to develop means to achive an early diagnosis using economically viable methods. METHOD: During 18 months, 50 patients with coronary disease and were indication for coronary artery bypass evaluated (35 male, 15 female; mean age of 67.2 years). The presence and degree of carotid artery stenosis was determined with duplex ultrasonography. The association of carotid artery disease and diabetes mellitus, arterial systemic hypertension, smoking, previous focal neurologic symptoms, lower extremity arterial disease and cervical bruit, was also determined. RESULTS: It was found that 48% of the patients presented hemodynamically significant carotid stenosis (>50%) and 32% of showed critic carotid stenosis (>70%). Diabetes mellitus, previous focal neurological symptoms, cervical bruit and lower extremity arterial disease were considered significant risk factors. These results clearly showed that there was a significant increase in the risk of presenting hemodynamically significant or critical carotid stenosis in these group of patients compared to the rest of the population. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the use of ultrasonographic screening for carotid disease, in patients suffering from coronary artery disease, is very justified, mainly when significant risk factors are present.
Doppler ultrasonography; Cerebral isquemia; Carotid artery; Miocardial isquemia
