Non-stenotic carotid disease increases ischemic stroke risk

Research presented at the World Stroke Congress (WSC) 2026 in Seoul indicates that non-stenotic carotid disease is a common condition that significantly increases the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) following an ischemic stroke.

Amy Yu, an associate professor of neurology at the University of Toronto and senior scientist at the Sunnybrook Research Institute, presented findings from a population-based study in Ontario. Using data from the Ontario Stroke Registry between 2019 and 2023, the study compared patients with carotid stenosis severity of less than 50% against those with 50% or greater.

The results challenge the traditional view of non-stenotic disease as clinically insignificant, as the risk levels in some patients were found to be comparable to those with severe stenosis. Despite these findings, a standardized definition for symptomatic non-stenotic carotid disease has yet to be established.