This literature review shows the essence of the problem of extracranial carotid artery stenosis, since this disease is a treatable cause of ischemic stroke and can be reliably detected and assessed by using vascular ultrasound. In Kazakhstan, due to acute disorders of cerebral circulation, 11.1 thousand patients die every year. The reliability of the information in the article was obtained by using the literature data of the last 10 years. The reflection of the criteria for diagnosing stenosis of the extracranial carotid artery, the use of which, in conjunction with standard tests and other sensitive methods, makes it possible to determine the lesion of the extracranial carotid artery at an early stage, as well as a detailed description of diagnostic methods of this complication and evaluation of their effectiveness. Screening for carotid stenosis is important, and whether routine carotid ultrasound is recommended in general population for the prevention of ischemic stroke remains controversial. Screening for carotid stenosis by ultrasound is crucial not only for the daily clinical setting, but also for the management of patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Stroke is the second leading cause of death and the third leading cause of disability globally. This literature review described risk factors and diagnostic aspects of ischemic stroke prevention. Carotid stenosis and occlusion is a treatable cause of ischemic stroke, which can be diagnosed by duplex scanning of the brachiocephalic arteries. The reasons for the low effectiveness of preventive measures for ischemic stroke are the incomplete collection of anamnesis for risk factors that affect the clinical prognosis, the low use of modern diagnostic methods by primary health care general practitioners in the screening of patients.