Abstract: Aim: was to elucidate factors of poor prognosis for chronic brain ischemia in «asymptomatic» patients with atherosclerotic stenosis of vertebral arteries, who regularly take optimal medical therapy. Methods: in 1st group (n = 44), secondary prevention of cerebrovascular accidents was carried out in a combined strategy - stenting of vertebral arteries in combination with medication therapy, and in 2nd group (n = 56) - only medication therapy. Long-term follow-up was planned after 12, 24 and 36 months. Inclusion criteria: «asymptomatic» patients with stenosis of vertebral arteries 50-95%; diameter of vertebral arteries is not less than 3.0 and not more than 5 mm; presence of cerebral and focal symptoms corresponding to the initial (asymptomatic) stage of chronic brain ischemia (according to E.V. Schmidt). Primary endpoint: total frequency of cardiovascular complications (death, transient ischemic attack or stroke, myocardial infarction). Results: the total frequency of major cerebral complications over 36 months of follow-up was 4.5% in group 1 and 37.5% in group II (? 2=15.101; p<0.0001). The frequency of cardiac events was 9.1 and 19.6%, respectively, to 1st and 2nd groups (? 2=14.784; p<0.0001). These indicators were obtained against the background of high patient adherence to treatment and high rates of achieving tough target lipid values. Restenosis of stents was observed in general, in 38.67% of patients from group I. Moreover, restenosis alone did not affect the incidence of major cerebral complications in the long-term period (? 2=0.1643; p=0.735). Most significant poor prognosis factors of chronic brain ischemia in «asymptomatic» patients with vertebral artery stenosis, who regularly take optimal medical therapy are: arrhythmia, total cholesterol more than 6.0 mmol/l, incomplete circle of Willis, arterial hypertension, bilateral defeat of vertebral arteries, (low-density lipoprotein) LDL levels of more than 3.5 mmol/I, combined lesion of vertebral and carotid arteries, calcification of vertebral arteries, coronary heart disease in anamnesis. Conclusion: endovascular intervention in combination with medical therapy could help to avoid the development of major brain complications arising from the instability of atherosclerotic plaque in «asymptomatic» patients with vertebral artery stenosis, and in the presence of poor prognosis factors identified can be regarded as a method of secondary prevention of cerebral circulatory disorders. References 1. Britov AN, Pozdnyakov YuM, Volkova EG, et al. 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