FREQUENCY OF CAROTID ARTERY DISEASE IN PATIENTS WITH LEFT MAIN STEM CORONARY DISEASE UNDERGOING CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS GRAFTING.

Objective: To assess the frequency of carotid artery disease in patients with left main stem coronary disease undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. Methodology: This cross sectional study was conducted in Department of Cardiovascular surgery Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar from July 2014 to June 2016 for a period of two years. All the patients with Left main stem disease referred for coronary artery bypass grafting were scanned for carotid stenosis with duplex scan. Patients with ongoing angina, hemodynamic instability, emergent CABG were excluded. The carotid stenosis≥ 70% was considered severe while 50-69% was considered moderate. Results: A total of 109 patients were included in the study. Of them 87(79.80%) were males. Mean age of the patients was 60.87 ±4.88 years. Out of total 109 patients 69 (63.30%) patients had no carotid artery diseases or non significant disease i.e. less than 50% stenosis, while 30 (27.5%) had moderate disease (50-69%stenosis). While 10 (9.20%) had severe carotid artery stenosis (≥70%). Conclusion: There is high frequency of significant carotid artery stenosis in patients with left main stem coronary disease. It is recommended that all the patients with left main stem disease should be screened with carotid duplex scan to decrease neurological complications during CABG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]