OBJECTIVETo observe the relationship between coronary and carotid/cerebral atherosclerotic stenosis.

METHODSCarotid/aortocranial angiography and coronary angiography were performed in 34 CAD patients complicated with symptomatic cerebral ischemia. Patients were divided into 3 subgroups according to the extent of arterial stenosis determined by angiography. There were 5 light, 4 moderate and 25 severe stenosis determined by coronary angiography and there were 6 light, 6 moderate and 24 severe stenosis determined by carotid/aortocranial angiography.

RESULTSThe extent of coronary artery stenosis was parallel to the carotid artery or vertebral artery stenosis. Twenty-four patients out of 25 patients with severe coronary stenosis had severe cerebrovascular stenosis (P = 0.873). The coincident rate was as high as 92% for patients with moderate or severe cerebrovascular stenosis whose Califf risk scores of coronary artery were more than or equal to 2. The follow-up study showed the incidence of cardiovascular event and cerebrovascular event increased significantly in the patients with moderate to severe coronary and cerebral arteries stenosis and 3 patients with severe stenosis found in both coronary and cerebral arteries died during follow up.

CONCLUSIONThe incidence and severity of coronary artery stenosis is parallel with carotid artery or vertebral artery stenosis.