Carotid endarterectomy benefits and risks of the procedure is required on an individual patient basis. Peri-operative CEA risks for combined 30 day mortality and stroke risk should be < 3% for asymptomatic patients and ≤ 6% for symptomatic patients. Symptomatic patients typically have either transient ischemic attack (TIA) or minor stroke, defined as a focal neurologic defect affecting one side of the body, speech, or vision. Asymptomatic patients have narrowing of their carotid arteries, but have not experienced a TIA or stroke. Carotid stenosis is diagnosed with ultrasound doppler studies of the neck arteries, magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) or computed tomography angiography
Common carotid artery vertebral artery. The common carotid artery is often used in measuring the pulse,{ especially in patients who are in shock and who lack a detectable pulse in the more peripheral arteries of the body. The pulse is taken by palpating the artery just deep to the anterior border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle at the level of the superior border of the thyroid cartilage. Presence of a carotid pulse has been estimated to indicate a systolic blood pressure of more than 40 mmHg, as given by the 50% percentile. Carotidynia is a syndrome marked by soreness of the carotid artery near