Incidence of arteriosclerotic lesions of the carotid arteries in chronic peripheral arterial disease and myocardial infarction.

UNLABELLED

Arteriosclerotic lesions in the carotid arteries are the main cause of ischemic cerebral infarction. Only a few studies of the incidence of carotid lesions in patients with chronic peripheral arterial disease (CPAD) and myocardial infarction (MI) have been made. Thus the aim of this study was to investigate the pathoanatomy of the carotid arteries in a representative number of patients suffering from CPAD or MI by using highly sensitive and specific noninvasive methods. RESULTS by other authors are discussed. The authors' own study of cerebrovascular disease (CD), which covers epidemiologic aspects, is presented.

METHODS

"duplex scanning" and continuous-wave Doppler ultrasound.

PATIENTS

myocardial infarction, N = 73; chronic peripheral arterial disease, N = 112; cerebrovascular disease, N = 73.

RESULTS

MI: stenosis greater than 50% N = 31 (42.4% of cases) - in the case of recurring infarction 67.8% of cases; CPAD: stenosis greater than 50% N = 54 (48.2%); CD: stenosis greater than 50% N = 35 (48%).