Medical treatment strategies to reduce perioperative morbidity and mortality after carotid surgery

There is a paucity of high-quality evidence regarding what constitutes “optimal medical therapy” for the purposes of reducing morbidity/mortality after carotid endarterectomy (CEA). All patients should be prescribed antiplatelet therapy. Low-dose aspirin (75 to 325 mg) should be continued throughout the perioperative period and there is no evidence that higher dose s confer additional benefit. There is emerging evidence that early implementation of dual antiplatelet therapy in recently symptomatic patients (aspirin 75 mg plus clopidogrel 75 mg) can reduce recurrent cerebral events before CEA and that dual antiplatelet therapy will significantly reduce stroke d ue to early postoperative carotid thrombosis.
Source: Seminars in Vascular Surgery - Category: Surgery Authors: Source Type: research