[Prevalence of atherosclerotic lesions of the carotid bifurcation found with echo-doppler (duplex) technic in patient candidates for aortocoronary bypass].

The association of an overt coronary artery disease with a cerebrovascular disease is frequently reported. However the real prevalence of atherosclerotic lesions at the carotid bifurcation in coronary patients is not well established. The aim of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of atherosclerotic involvement of the extracranial carotid arteries in a group of 141 patients undergoing coronary artery by-pass graft (CABG) and to verify whether any correlations between coronary and carotid artery disease exist. The extracranial carotid arteries have been studied by means of an echo-doppler (duplex) system, which combines a B-mode images with a pulsed doppler. A high prevalence (17.02%) of patients with a severe (greater than 50% diameter reduction) carotid involvement was detected (Tab. II). However, no correlations between the coronary and the carotid disease were found in terms of extension and severity (Tab. V). In conclusion, a systematic evaluation of the carotid arteries is recommendable in the coronary patients, candidates to CABG, even in the absence of cerebrovascular symptoms.