• Paolo Gresele, Francesco Paciullo, and Rino Migliacci.
• Section of Internal and Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Strada Vicinale Via Delle Corse, S. Andrea della Fratte, 06132, Perugia, Italy. paolo.gresele@unipg.it.
• Intern Emerg Med. 2020 Oct 1; 15 (7): 1169-1181.

AbstractCarotid artery atherosclerosis (CAAS) is a common finding in asymptomatic subjects evaluated for cardiovascular (CV)-risk stratification. Besides the careful control of CV-risk factors, antithrombotic agents, and in particular aspirin, may be considered for primary prevention in patients at CV-risk. However, there is strong controversy on the use of aspirin in primary prevention. Even if several studies confirmed the association between CAAS and CV-events, CAAS is not universally recognized as an independent risk factor and the choice to use aspirin as primary prevention in these patients remains a medical dilemma. Here we review the available evidence on the prognostic value of asymptomatic CAAS for major CV-events and on the utility of antithrombotic agents in this population. We conclude that the detection of asymptomatic CAAS can not be considered as a direct indication to carry out primary prophylaxis with antithrombotic drugs, and the choice to use aspirin should be made only after the careful estimate of the individual's CV-and hemorrhagic risk.

23 keywords...

hide…