Screening test for carotid disease.

Area of Science:

• Vascular Surgery
• Neurology
• Public Health

Background:

• Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in the US.
• Carotid endarterectomy trials show reduced stroke risk for symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with carotid artery stenosis.
• Detecting occult carotid stenosis is a proposed stroke-reducing strategy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review ultrasound (US) methods for carotid artery screening.
• To assess the accuracy of proposed US screening methods.
• To evaluate the cost- and clinical effectiveness of US carotid artery screening.

Main Methods:

• Review of proposed ultrasound (US) screening methods for carotid artery stenosis.
• Analysis of reported accuracy data for US screening techniques.
• Examination of cost-effectiveness and clinical utility studies.

Main Results:

• Ultrasound (US) has been investigated as a screening tool for carotid artery stenosis, both alone and with other screenings.
• Accuracy of various US methods for detecting carotid stenosis is reported.
• Data on cost- and clinical effectiveness are considered.

Conclusions:

• Ultrasound (US) screening for carotid artery stenosis is a potential method for stroke risk reduction.
• Further evaluation of accuracy and cost-effectiveness is crucial for widespread implementation.
• Screening may be beneficial for both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals.