关键词: 动脉粥样硬化; 颅内; 流行病学; 自然病程; 预后

Abstract: Atherosclerosis is a systemic disease. Intracranial arteries are one of the most arteries which frequently involved by atherosclerosis. The 8%-10% patients with ischemic stroke is due to intracranial atherosclerosis. Intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis is also regarded as inflammatory process. Many studies have found that the oxidized low density lipoprotein(LDL-C) plays a key role in the process of atherosclerosis. The most frequently sites involved by atherosclerosis including the carotid-cavernous siphon, middle cerebral artery, intracranial vertebral artery and basilar artery. Recently, studies on intracranial atherosclerosis have obtained significantly progress in the field of epidemiology, natural history, pathophysiology and drug therapy, interventional therapy. In this review, we want to summarize the natural history of patient with the intracranial atherosclerosis.

Key words: Atherosclerosis; intracranial; Epidemiology; Natural history; Prognosis