ABSTRACT
Stroke is the leading cause of disability and ranks third in mortality in the USA, Europe, and Asia. Carotid occlusive disease remains a major cause of stroke, accounting for 20-25% of cases in the USA. Populationbased studies indicate that the prevalence of carotid artery stenosis (CAS) is 0.5% in the sixth decade of life and increases 20-fold by the age of 80.1 Intracerebral atherosclerosis accounts for an additional 8-29% of strokes, with a higher reported incidence in Asian, African, and Hispanic ethnicities.2-4 In the USA alone,
an estimated 60 000 to 80 000 strokes per year are due to cerebral atherosclerosis.
