• Haneline M
• Lewkovich GN

• Carotid Arteries / abnormalities
• Carotid Artery Injuries
• Carotid Artery, Internal, Dissection / diagnosis
• Carotid Artery, Internal, Dissection / etiology
• Carotid Artery, Internal, Dissection / physiopathology
• Intervertebral Disc / injuries
• Vertebral Artery / abnormalities
• Vertebral Artery Dissection / diagnosis
• Vertebral Artery Dissection / etiology
• Vertebral Artery Dissection / physiopathology

DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, PubMed, Manual Alternative and Natural Therapy System (MANTIS), and CINAHL databases were searched for the years 1966 through September 2006. Additionally, the literature generated by the searches was culled for relevant citations incorporated within the articles.

RESULTS: The search strategy generated a total of 130 distinct citations, of which 49 were determined to be relevant after applying the study's selection criteria. An additional 6 references were harvested from the reference lists of the included articles.

SUMMARY: The most compelling pathophysiological risk factors have to do with connective tissue abnormalities, which may contribute to a weakening of the vascular wall making it more susceptible to tearing. However, the exact pathogenesis of CAD is uncertain, especially in cases that occur spontaneously, are related to trivial trauma, or occur in the absence of discernable risk factors.

Click on the above link for free full text. This abstract is reproduced with the permission of the publisher.
PubMed Record