Intracranial Atherosclerosis
Intracranial atherosclerosis is hardening of the arteries within the skull that supply the brain, causing narrowing and blockage of these vessels. If a vessel becomes completely blocked or even severely narrowed, blood flow to part of the brain can be threatened and a stroke can occur.
The same risk factors that are associated with atherosclerosis elsewhere are associated with intracranial atherosclerosis. They include diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking. Intracranial atherosclerosis has recently been recognized as a significant risk factor for ischemic stroke. Stroke rates with maximal medical therapy range from as low as 10% per year to as high as 30% per month, making intracranial atherosclerosis about four to five times more dangerous than an unruptured aneurysm or AVM. Unfortunately, unlike atherosclerosis of the arteries leading to the brain (carotid arteries), which often causes transient ischemic attacks (TIAs or ministrokes), intracranial atherosclerosis often is only found when a major stroke occurs.
