Wall shear stress (WSS) and pulse pressure (PP) appear to be the main predictors of cerebral vascular events in carotid stenosis (CS). The objective of this study was to obtain the WSS and PP distribution in order to detect points where these variables are maximal and plaque rupture is more likely to occur. A computational fluid dynamics model of CS was implemented using ANSYS®. The geometry was a simplification of a human healthy vessel. The boundary conditions were pulsatile flow at the common carotid (CC) inlet, no-slip at the wall and zero pressure at outlets. Flow solutions (pressure and velocity) were obtained for a complete cardiac cycle; WSS and PP were calculated at the fluid wall interface. Critical locations and times were identified (see table). Under these model assumptions, WSS and PP are maximal at the proximal internal carotid, which coincides with the common site of plaque formation. At this location, WSS is 1.8 times and PP is 1.2 times the reference CC values. The model allows to introduce the specific geometry and flow inlet pattern of the patient in order to identify the sites were aggregation and plaque rupture are more likely to occur, based on critical WSS and PP locations. It also allows sensitivity studies of WSS and PP to changes in the input conditions.Table