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Vertebral artery stroke

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

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The effects of vertebral artery occlusion are variable:

  • it may be asymptomatic because of the compensatory effects of the opposite artery

  • it may result in basilar artery occlusion since the vertebral arteries are often unequal in size and one is more critical to vertebro-basilar flow

  • it may present solely as a posterior inferior cerebellar artery stroke since this is the only vessel solely dependent upon it

  • stenosis of the subclavian or innominate artery before the take off of the vertebral artery may present as a subclavian steal syndrome

  • importantly, the vertebral artery may act as a source of embolus due to intimal damage caused by the spinal vertebrae along it's course

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