Indications for treatment of symptomatic atherosclerotic carotid artery disease.

Although the incidence of stroke and stroke mortality have declined during the past few decades, stroke still ranks third as a cause of death and a primary cause of long-term disability in most industrialized societies. Atherosclerotic disease at the carotid bifurcation accounts for approximately 20% to 30% of all ischemic strokes. In this article, the indications for treatment of symptomatic internal carotid artery stenosis are reviewed.