ABSTRACT
Prospective studies have indicated that the incidence of recurrent stroke in patients with symptomatic intracranial arterial stenosis is approximately 15-20％ per year,and the mortality rate is significantly higher.Although the strict control of the risk factors for atherosclerosis and antithrombotic drugs,especially the use of anti-platelet drugs,is the main basis treatment for these patients,some patients may have drug resistance.These high-riskpatients showed severe stenosis ( ＞ 70％ ) of the recent clinical symptoms of ischemia and theclinical and imaging evidence of distal hemodynamic irnpairment accompanying arterial stenosis.The advances in balloon and stenting have made people begun to consider the possibility ofusing angioplasty and stenting for the treatment of these high-risk patients.However,becausethe relative efficacy of these invasive therapy and drug therapy is not very clear,furtherrandomized clinical trial is still needed.This article reviews the available drug treatment optionsfor symptomatic intracranial arteriosclerotic disease and the current status of endovascudartreatment.