Risk factors for extracranial internal or common carotid arterial disease in persons aged 60 years and older

Abstract Systolic and diastolic hypertension, diabetes mellitus and cigarette smoking are risk factors for atherothrombotic brain infarction. 1–6 The relation of abnormal serum lipids and obesity to atherothrombotic brain infarction is unclear. 1,2,5–7 We reported in a retrospective study of 535 elderly patients that risk factors for atherothrombotic brain infarction were systolic or diastolic hypertension and diabetes mellitus in both elderly men and women and cigarette smoking in elderly men. 5 We demonstrated in a prospective study of 708 elderly patients that at 3-year follow-up, risk factors for new atherothrombotic brain infarction were systolic or diastolic hypertension and diabetes mellitus in both elderly men and women, cigarette smoking in elderly men and obesity in elderly women. 6 We also reported that 64 of 478 unselected elderly patients ( 13%) in a long-term health care facility had 40 to 100% luminal diameter narrowing of an extracranial internal or common carotid artery diagnosed by carotid duplex ultrasonography. 8 We now report correlations of coronary risk factors with significant extracranial carotid disease (ECD) diagnosed by carotid duplex ultrasonography.