Role of carotid duplex imaging in carotid screening programmes - an overview.
BACKGROUND
Stroke is the third most common cause of death in the UK and the largest single cause of severe disability. Each year more than 110,000 people in England suffer from a stroke which costs the National Health Service (NHS) over GBP2.8 billion. Thus, it is imperative that patients at risk be screened for underlying carotid artery atherosclerosis.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the role of carotid ultrasound in different carotid screening programmes.


METHODS
A literature overview was carried out by using PubMed search engine, to identify different carotid screening programmes that had used ultrasound scan as a screening tool.


RESULTS
It appears that the carotid ultrasound is an effective method for screening carotid artery disease in community as it effectively predicts the presence of stenosis with high accuracy. There is a need for primary care to recommend high risk patients for regular screening, to reduce stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) related morbidity and mortality.


CONCLUSIONS
Screening programmes using carotid ultrasonography contribute to public health awareness and promotion which in long term could potentially benefit in disease prevention and essentially promote better standards of healthcare.
Saleem
Muhammad A
MA
Cambridge Vascular Unit, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK. dr_ahsan@yahoo.com
Sadat
Umar
U
Walsh
Stewart R
SR
Young
Victoria E
VE
Gillard
Jonathan H
JH
Cooper
David G
DG
Gaunt
Michael E
ME
D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D014463:Ultrasonography