Vertebral-Subclavian Atherosclerosis

Rationale

The Pan et al. (2022) study provides epidemiological context for the prevalence of atherosclerosis across multiple vascular territories. Integrating this highlights that vertebral-subclavian disease is frequently part of a broader systemic atherosclerotic process (multiterritorial atherosclerosis), which is relevant for clinical assessment and holistic patient management. The abbreviation MTA was expanded on first use as per instructions.

Evidence

Content Changes

Atherosclerosis is the most common cause of vertebral and subclavian artery disease, typically affecting the ostium of the vertebral artery and the proximal subclavian artery. Recent cohort data highlights that vertebral and subclavian involvement often occurs as part of multiterritorial atherosclerosis (MTA), reflecting the systemic nature of the disease in community-dwelling populations [@pan2022].