BMJ  2006;333 (9 September), doi:10.1136/bmj.333.7567.0-b

Treatment of elderly patients with minor ischaemic attacks is inadequate

Patients aged 80 or older with transient ischaemic attack or minor ischaemic stroke have an increased incidence of symptomatic carotid stenosis but are substantially underinvestigated and undertreated. Fairhead and Rothwell (p 525) compared the management of a total of over 680 000 patients undergoing carotid imaging either in a vascular study (in which all patients were investigated as per published guidelines) or in routine clinical practice in secondary care services. In the group aged 80, rates of carotid imaging, diagnosis of > 50% symptomatic stenosis, and carotid endarterectomy were substantially lower in routine clinical practice.

Credit: SPL

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Relevant Article

Underinvestigation and undertreatment of carotid disease in elderly patients with transient ischaemic attack and stroke: comparative population based study

Jack F Fairhead and Peter M Rothwell
BMJ 2006 333: 525-527. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]