Introduction: Prevalence of stroke following coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) is % 2.1-5.2 and associated with high mortality. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of carotid artery disease in patients undergoing CABG surgery. 

Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed in the years 2010-2011 on 192 patients who underwent open heart surgery (CABG) in Imam Reza Hospital in Mashhad. Questionnaires with items about demographic data, risk factors, and outcome of coronary angiography were completed by participants. Carotid Doppler ultrasonography was performed by a radiologist for all the patients, and the data were analyzed in SPSS (V: 15) using chi-square and t-test at p<0.05. 

Results: In this study, 192 patients (116 male and 76 female) with the mean age of 60.3 ± 10.82 were examined. The prevalence of 50% carotid stenos was 26.6%. Carotid stenosis was found to be directly and significantly related with age and severity of coronary artery disease.

Conclusions: Given the high prevalence of carotid artery stenosis in patients with coronary artery disease, evaluation of carotid arteries in patients undergoing CABG is very important, especially in case of old age and severe coronary lesions.