High-Grade Carotid Artery Stenosis and Atrial Fibrillation

The disclosure of a higher rate of stroke among patients with the association of nonvalvular atrial fibrillation and peripheral vascular disease1 is entirely predictable given the fact that Kanter et al2 have shown that, among patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, high-grade carotid artery stenosis (a risk factor for stroke)3 had a prevalence of 12% among men aged>70 years, and a prevalence of 11% among women of that age group. Furthermore, in their systematic review of 9 studies (2611 patients) reporting presumed pathophysiological stroke mechanisms in patients with atrial fibrillation, Katsi et al4 showed that 11%-24% of patients with the association of stroke and nonvalvular atrial fibrillation have high-grade (>50% stenosis) carotid artery stenosis.
Source: The American Journal of Medicine - Category: General Medicine Authors: Tags: Letter Source Type: research