Carotid Artery Test Not Recommended for All

Most adults don’t need to have a test for narrowed arteries in the neck, an expert group says. The draft advice comes from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. This independent group of experts issues advice on preventive care and testing. Doctors, the government and insurance companies usually follow its advice. The new report focuses on carotid artery stenosis. The carotid arteries supply the brain with blood. They can become narrow inside because of a buildup of fatty deposits. Carotid artery stenosis increases the risk of stroke. But the task force said that screening all adults with ultrasound would not be worthwhile. Narrowed carotid arteries are not common. But some tests could show “false positive” results. This is when a test result looks suspicious but the problem is not really there. Such results might lead to more tests and even surgeries that were not needed.