Risk Factors for Mortality Within 5 Years of Carotid Endarterectomy for Asymptomatic Stenosis

Abstract

Current Society for Vascular Surgery guidelines for the management of patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis recommend carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for patients with more than 70% stenosis and acceptable surgical risk. The reduced rate of stroke with modern medical therapy increases the importance of careful selection in deciding which patients undergo elective CEA for asymptomatic disease. It is therefore very prudent to investigate preexisting variables predictive of 5 year mortality among patients meeting criteria to undergo CEA.