What Is the Current Status of Invasive Treatment of Extracranial Carotid Artery Disease? [Topical Reviews]

Year 2011 sees the publication of US guidelines that recommend expanding indications for carotid artery stenting into “average-risk” patients, whereas guidelines from Australia/New Zealand largely do not. This article reviews the status of invasive treatment of carotid disease and highlights 2 controversial issues that were not really addressed in these guidelines: (1) a lack of emphasis on the importance of intervening rapidly after transient ischemic attack/minor stroke; and (2) why continue to recommend that only “highly selected” asymptomatic patients should undergo intervention when virtually no-one pays any attention?