Carotid artery disease

Carotid artery disease — referral criteria for Vascular services.

Full SRC reference

Eligibility

At least one must be met for the patient to be eligible for referral.

Clinically suspected or confirmed carotid artery disease with initial primary-care work-up completed

Red flags

Indicate urgent (Category 1) referral or emergency assessment.

Transient ischaemic attack(s) in last 48 hours

Multiple or recurrent transient ischaemic attack episodes in the last seven days

Amaurosis fugax in last 48 hours

Symptomatic internal carotid stenosis (greater than 50 per cent on imaging), within two weeks of symptoms

Routine referral criteria

Determine Category 2 or 3 urgency.

Internal carotid stenosis (greater than 50 per cent) on imaging with symptoms (excluding dizziness alone), more than two weeks after onset of symptoms

Asymptomatic internal carotid stenosis greater than 70 per cent on imaging

Carotid body tumour

Usually managed in primary care

Asymptomatic internal carotid stenosis less than 70 per cent on imaging
Isolated external carotid artery stenosis