Cervicocerebral Atherosclerosis Burden Increases Long-Term Mortality in Patients With Ischemic Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack.

Background: The influence of burden of atherosclerosis in the brain supplying arteries on mortality in patients with acute ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack is poorly known. We assessed whether total burden of atherosclerosis within cervicocerebral arteries is associated with long-term mortality.

Methods And Results: A total of 406 patients (median age, 71.