Management of Carotid Artery Disease in the Elderly

Stroke is one of the leading causes of death in western countries and puts a large burden on healthcare budgets. Many studies have confirmed the increased incidence of stroke with increasing age. There is no evidence of a significant difference in the risk factors for atherosclerosis among different age groups. However, there are some ADDitional risk factors that can contribute to carotid artery disease in the elderly. There is good evidence that elderly patients, aged 80 years or above with transient ischemic attack or ischemic stroke, are generally underinvestigated in routine clinical practice. Several treatment modalities exist for stroke in elderly patients, including medical treatment, thrombolysis and/or endarterectomy. We have herein analyzed the results of treatment modalities as applied to this age group. We have also compared the results of different age group and analyzed the outcome of each modality as appropriate.