Journal of AdvancedMedical and Dental Sciences Research

Background: This study was conducted with an aim of assessing the angiographic incidence of carotid artery stenosis (CAS) in patients undergoing coronary angiography for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods: This single centre study included 50 patients with stable CAD or acute coronary syndromes, undergoing coronary angiography for diagnostic or therapeutic indications, who gave consent for concomitant carotid digital subtraction angiography (DSA). Significant CAD was defined as ≥ 50% diameter stenosis in at least one major coronary artery or its first order branches, and was categorized as single vessel disease (SVD), double vessel disease (DVD), or triple vessel disease (TVD) according to number of vessels involved. Significant CAS was defined as a diameter stenosis of ≥50% in the common carotid artery, the carotid bifurcation, or the internal carotid artery. For statistical analysis, patients were divided into two groups i.e. patients without or with CAS. Patient characteristics in these groups were then analysed and compared to each other. Results: the coronary and carotid angiographic profile of the study population. Although 58.8% females had normal coronary angio- gram compared to only 25.5% in males, we did not find any statistically significant difference between the coronary angiographic profile of males and females (p = 0.173). Among 12 patients (22%) who had CAS, 7 (72%) had bilateral CAS while 5 patients (31%) had unilateral CAS. Again, there was no significant difference between males and females vis a vis carotid angiographic profile (p = 0.462). All 12 patients with CAS had TVD on coronary angiography and none of the patients with normal coronary angiography, SVD or DVD had associated significant CAS (p ≤ 0.0001). In other words, 33.21% patients with significant CAD and 84.5% patients with TVD had associated significant CAS. Conclusion: It was found that CIMT is an independent predictor and is strongly associated with ISR. Hence, the non-invasive nature and ease of estimation are positive correlates to recommend measurement of CIMT in routine clinical practice in both pre- and post-PCI patients.