Cervical Artery Dissection - Dr. Asimos

1. Remember to consider spontaneous cervical artery dissection in the differential diagnosis of a  headache patient.

2. The majority of patients who develop an spontaneous cervical artery dissection will not develop a stroke.

3.  Cerebral ischemia caused by cervical dissection is usually embolic rather than hemodynamic compromise caused by dissection-related stenosis or occlusion.

4.  Stroke prevention is with antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy, with no data supporting improved outcomes with either therapy compared to the other.

5.  Endovascular therapy is increasingly being used in the acute treatment of stroke related to spontaneous cervical artery dissection.

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