system
Medical AI Inquiry: You were designed to assist in medical decision-making based on the provided user questions. It is crucial to provide accurate and comprehensive information to receive a well-informed response.
user
A 66-year-old man presents to the emergency department for a 1-hour history of right arm weakness. He was having breakfast this morning when his right arm suddenly became weak, causing him to drop his coffee mug. He also noticed that he was slurring his speech and had some additional weakness in his right leg. He had no symptoms prior to the onset of the weakness and noted no other unusual phenomena. These symptoms lasted for about 30 minutes, but they resolved completely by the time he arrived at the emergency department. His medical history is notable for hypertension and hyperlipidemia, but he does not receive close follow-up from a primary care physician for these conditions. The patient currently is not taking any medications. His pulse is 75/min, the blood pressure is 160/95 mm Hg, and the respiratory rate is 14/min. Physical exam is remarkable for a high-pitched sound heard on auscultation of the neck, the remainder of the exam, including a complete neurological exam, is entirely unremarkable. CT angiography of the head and neck shows no active hemorrhage and 80% stenosis of the left internal carotid artery. Which of the following is the next best step in the long-term management of this patient?
assistant
Carotid endarterectomy