Table 1:

In a nutshell

All patients with diagnosed carotid artery atherosclerotic disease should be on an antiplatlet agent and a statin (regardless of serum cholesterol levels)

Only patients with a transient ischaemic attack, stroke or amaurosis fugax within the last 6 months on the isilateral side of the stenosis are considered symptomatic

Asymptomatic carotid disease <70% should be treated with BMT

Male patients with asymptomatic carotid disease of <75 years and >70% should be offered surgery

Female patients with asymptomatic carotid disease >70% should only be offered surgery if very young and fit

All patients with symptomatic carotid disease <50% should receive BMT

All patients with symptomatic carotid disease >50% should have surgery

Carotid artery endarterectomy is the treatment of choice

Carotid artery stenting should only be offered to symptomatic patients, which are high risk for open surgery

The main benefit of surgery in symptomatic patients lies within the first 14 days of symptom onset