The following are the most important diseases or complications that can be caused by extracranial carotid stenosis (carotid artery stenosis):
Cardiovascular system (I00-I99)
- Apoplexy (stroke) – the risk of ipsilateral (“on the same side of the body) apoplexy depends on the degree of stenosis; it is:
- <50% stenosis at <1 percent/year.
- > 50% stenosis at 1-5 percent/year
- Cerebral infarction (synonyms: ischemic stroke, cerebral ischemia, ischemic insult) – 10-20% of all cerebral infarctions are caused by lesions of the extracranial vessels supplying the brain. Note: The risk of ischemic events due to asymptomatic carotid stenosis depends strongly on the nature of the plaques: it is tripled in vulnerable plaques* ; plaques of grade 4-5 according to AHA classification: risk increased about 28 -fold.* Form of atherosclerotic plaque, which has an increased risk of complications such as apoplexy or myocardial infarction.
