Should Stroke Be Considered Both a Brain Attack and a Heart Attack?

See related article, pages 1752–1758. The concept of coronary risk equivalents has gained increased acceptance in recent years. In the 2001 National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines, diabetes mellitus, peripheral arterial disease, abdominal aortic aneurysm, and “symptomatic carotid artery disease” were cited as coronary risk equivalents.1 These conditions carry a 10-year risk of coronary heart disease events of >20%.In 2004, the tent containing coronary risk equivalent conditions was expanded by the NCEP committee to symptomatic carotid disease or “>50% obstruction of a carotid artery.”2 In addition, whereas in 2001, the low-density lipoprotein target for coronary risk equivalents was <100 mg/dL, in 2004, an optional target of <70 mg/dL was established for high-risk patients.In this …