Carotid angioplasty and stent-induced bradycardia and hypotension: Impact of prophylactic atropine administration and prior carotid endarterectomy

The administration of prophylactic atropine before balloon inflation during CAS decreases the incidence of intraoperative bradycardia and cardiac morbidity in primary CAS patients. Periprocedural bradycardia, hypotension, and the need for vasopressors occur more frequently with primary CAS than with redo CAS procedures. On the basis of our data, we recommend that prophylactic atropine administration be considered in patients with primary carotid lesions undergoing CAS.