Carotid Artery Disease
Your carotid arteries are two large blood vessels in your neck. They supply your brain with blood. If you have carotid artery disease, the arteries become narrow, usually from the buildup of cholesterol and other material. If a blood clot sticks in the narrowed arteries, blood can't reach your brain. This is one of the causes of stroke.
Carotid artery disease often does not cause symptoms, but there are tests that can tell your doctor if you have it. If the arteries are very narrow, you may need an operation called an endarterectomy to remove the plaque. For less severe narrowing, a medicine to prevent blood clots can reduce your risk of stroke. Another option for people who can't have surgery is carotid angioplasty. This involves placing balloons and/or stents into the artery to open it and hold it open.
Carotid Artery Disease
Carotid artery disease is a form of disease that affects the vessels leading to the head and brain (cerebrovascular disease). Like the heart, the brain's cells need a constant supply of oxygen-rich blood. This blood supply is delivered to the brain by the 2 large carotid arteries in the front of your neck and by 2 smaller vertebral arteries at the back of your neck. The right and left vertebral arteries come together at the base of the brain to form what is called the basilar artery. A stroke most often occurs when the carotid arteries become blocked and the brain does not get enough oxygen.
Carotid artery disease increases the risk of stroke in 3 ways: - By fatty deposits called plaque severely narrowing the carotid arteries.
- By a blood clot becoming wedged in a carotid artery narrowed by plaque.
- By plaque breaking off from the carotid arteries and blocking a smaller artery in the brain (cerebral artery).
Who is at risk for carotid artery disease and stroke?
Each year, about 900,000 people in the United States die of heart disease or stroke. The older you are, the greater your risk of stroke, and more men than women have strokes. Stroke is the number 3 killer in the United States, and a leading cause of disability among older Americans.
If you have carotid artery disease, you probably also have severe coronary artery disease or have a parent who died from coronary artery disease. So, the risk factors for carotid artery disease are similar to those for coronary artery disease:
- High levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides in the blood.
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Smoking
- Family history of coronary artery disease
- Obesity
- Lack of exercise
What are the symptoms of carotid artery disease?
Although there are no symptoms specific to carotid artery disease, the warning signs of a stroke are a good way to tell if there is a blockage in the carotid arteries. Transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) are one of the most important warning signs that you may soon have a stroke. Sometimes called "mini-strokes," TIAs are temporary episodes of headache, dizziness, tingling, numbness, blurred vision, confusion, or paralysis that can last anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of hours. See a doctor right away if you or someone you know has the symptoms of a TIA.
Other signs or symptoms of a carotid artery blockage may be
- Weakness or paralysis of your arm, leg, or face on one side of your body.
- Numbness or tingling of your arm, leg, or face on one side of your body.
- Trouble swallowing.
- Loss of eyesight or blurry eyesight in one eye.
- Dizziness, confusion, fainting, or coma.
- Sudden, severe headache with no known cause.
How is carotid artery disease diagnosed?
In most cases, doctors can tell if you have the disease during a normal checkup. Your doctor may ask if you have had symptoms of a stroke (muscle weakness or numbness, lightheadedness, or trouble talking or seeing). By placing a stethoscope over the carotid artery in your neck, your doctor can listen for a rushing sound, called a bruit (pronounced "brew-ee"). But, the results of this test can be misleading. Bruit sounds may not always be present, even when carotid artery disease is severe. Also, bruit sounds are sometimes heard when blockages are only minor.
