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Is the new professionalism and ACP's new ethics really just about following guidelines?

The Charter ( Medical Professionalism in the New Millennium.A Physician's Charter) did not deal with just the important relationship of ...

Tuesday, February 08, 2011

New Guidelines for treatment of carotid artery stenosis

The full text of the new guidelines for treatment of vertebral and carotid stenosis can be found here.

The guidelines apparently were a joint effort of the cardiologists and practically everybody else who had interest in the diagnosis,medical or surgical or catheter treatment of vascular construction to the brain.

The paper is gives a wealth of information and references and could easily take up many hours of study. Here is one snippet-

It is reasonable to prefer endarterectomy (CEA) over stenting in asymptomatic patients with greater than 70% stenosis.The panel had grade A evidence for that recommendation.

Although they do not recommend screening for carotid obstruction in asymptomatic patients, many folks will be getting ultrasound exams of their necks,abdomens and doppler exams for vascular disease of the lower extremities as roaming, proprietary groups are frequenting churches and other sites.So when your patient for whom you did not recommended screening shows up with a report suggesting significant blockage you have a good resource to consult.

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