Intracranial atherosclerosis: Causes of ischemic stroke, diagnosis, and treatment

Abstract

The paper reviews the literature on the identification of the causes of ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attacks in intracranial atherosclerosis. Symptomatic intracranial atherosclerosis is the cause of an ischemic focus in not only the cortical and subcortical structures due to hypoperfusion or arterio-arterial embolism, but also in the deep structures of the cerebral hemispheres and brainstem. Major artery dolichoectasia may make an accurate diagnosis and treatment choice difficult.Progress in the treatment of patients with symptomatic intracranial atherosclerosis depends on the availability of current brain and vessel imaging techniques and cranial artery angioplasty and stenting methods. The efficiency of aggressive medical prevention, primarily blood pressure reduction and different combinations of antiplatelet drugs, is being intensively investigated.

Keywords

• intracranial atherosclerosis
• causes
• ischemic stroke
• diagnosis
• treatment