Clinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine

Cervical artery dissection is a common cause of stroke in young adults. This may result from head andneck trauma; it can also occur spontaneously or secondary to genetic connective tissue or vasculardisorders. Neurologic symptoms arise as a result of thromboembolism and hypoperfusion causingcerebral ischemia. We present a case of a previously healthy male who was found to have a cervicalinternal carotid artery dissection and the decision to use antiplatelet therapy instead of anticoagulationto prevent stroke. Data is lacking regarding the efficacy of one therapy over the other.