Treatment of atherosclerotic intracranial arterial stenosis.

Atherosclerotic stenosis of the major intracranial arteries (intracranial internal carotid artery, middle cerebral artery, vertebral artery, basilar artery) is probably the most common cause of stroke worldwide.1 Intracranial atherosclerosis causes 30% to 50% of strokes in Asia2 and 8% to 10% of strokes in North America.3 This review focuses on the medical and endovascular treatment of atherosclerotic intracranial arterial stenosis.