Frequency of carotid atherosclerosis in cerebral infarction

ABSTRACT

To know the frequency of carotid atherosclerosis in ischaemic stroke patients in our population using color Doppler ultrasound. This is an observational study conducted in Medical Unit-II of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre [JPMC], Karachi from Oct 2003 to Feb 2004 in collaboration with Radiology Dept. All the patients admitted during this duration with CT scan proof of stroke were included in the study. Risk factors in all these patients were stratified. Doppler ultrasound was performed on all patients with ischaemic stroke according to the study protocol. A total of 100 patients were included in this study over a period of five months. 66% of these were having cerebral infarction. Hypertension [72%], diabetes [35%], smoking [29%] and obesity [20%] were the common risk factors. The frequency of significant carotid atherosclerosis in acute ischaemic stroke patients was 21%. Carotid atherosclerosis is one of the most important indicators, predictors as well as an independent risk factor in the development of ischaemic stroke