Incidence & Risk Factors Associated with Carotid Disease in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the true incidence and the risk factors associated with carotid disease in the sitting of high risk patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) using carotid duplex scan and to find out if routine preoperative carotid duplex scan is needed among all these patients. Methods: This retrospective study included 402 consecutive patients who underwent bilateral carotid duplex scan admitted for CABG during the period from January 2006 to December 2008. We excluded patients in cardiogenic shock who were taken to operating room emergently. Results: The prevalence of associated risk factors showed diabetes mellitus recorded the highest (93.3%) whereas peripheral vascular disease the lowest (1.7%), hypertension (89.3%), dyslipidemia (72.6%), smoker (21.1%), left main disease (4.7%), and previous stroke (3%). Patients undergoing CABG has high incidence of carotid disease (68.7%) and severe stenosis is more in patients aged 60 and above (13.5%) versus (2.3%) in age 60, previous stroke and left main disease). Conclusion: This study showed that carotid screening is recommended for all patients who are undergoing CABG due to high incidence of carotid disease.