Carotid Artery Disease

Carotid artery disease is when a large blood vessel in the neck is partly blocked.

It's a condition many people don't know they have until it causes a serious problem.

The common carotid artery is a blood vessel.

You have two carotid arteries that run up each side of your neck.

Each artery divides into two branches.

The external carotid branch sends off more branches to your face, scalp, and neck.

The internal carotid branch supplies blood to your brain.

Causes

When the carotid arteries are healthy, they let blood flow freely through them.

But sometimes plaque can build up inside your arteries. Plaque is a pasty substance made up of cholesterol, fats, calcium, and other things that are found in the blood. This is a condition called atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis can cause the space inside the arteries to get narrow. This might fully or partially block the artery.

Blood clots can also form on the plaque.

In some cases, a small piece of plaque or a blood clot can break off and float away and get stuck in an artery of the brain.

This can stop blood flowing to part of the brain and cause a stroke.

Certain things can damage the inside of the carotid arteries and make them more likely to gather plaque.

These include:

 

• Smoking
• High levels of cholesterol and certain fats in the bloodstream
• High blood pressure
• Insulin resistance, and
• Diabetes

Symptoms

Carotid artery disease often doesn't cause any symptoms until the carotid artery is severely narrowed.

Often, the first symptoms are those of a "mini-stroke," which is also known as a transient ischemic attack, or T-I-A.

This happens when a piece of plaque or a blood clot blocks blood flow to the brain for a short period of time.

You may have symptoms such as:

 

• Sudden weakness in the face or limbs, often on just one side
• Inability to move a limb
• Trouble speaking or understanding speech
• Trouble seeing, and
• Dizziness

With a "mini-stroke," these symptoms last only a few minutes.

But a mini-stroke is often a warning sign that a more serious stroke can happen.

With a stroke, the symptoms can continue, and the lack of blood to part of the brain causes damage.

If you ever have symptoms of a mini-stroke, call 911 right away.

Diagnosis

A health care provider may suspect carotid artery disease when listening to your arteries with a stethoscope.

The blocked artery often makes a "whooshing" sound known as a bruit ["BROO-ee"].

If you have a bruit, you will need a test called a carotid ultrasound.

This test uses sound waves to create a picture of the inside of your arteries.

This shows how much the arteries have narrowed.

In some cases, other imaging tests may be needed.

You'll also need other tests if you have symptoms of a stroke.

Treatment

Treatment for carotid artery disease depends on how severe it is, your age, and your overall health.

You may need to take medications  to lower your high blood pressure.

And you may also need to take a blood-thinning medication like aspirin to help prevent blood clots and lower your risk for stroke.

Lifestyle changes can also help keep your carotid artery disease from getting worse.

This includes following a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and quitting smoking.

If your carotid artery disease is severe, you may need surgery to help open your artery.

Things to Remember

Carotid artery disease doesn't always cause symptoms.

Carotid artery disease is dangerous because it can lead to a stroke.

You might need lifestyle changes, medications, or surgery to treat your carotid artery disease.

It can be scary to learn that you are at risk for stroke due to carotid artery disease.

But you can take steps  to help reduce your risk.

Talk with your health care provider to find a treatment plan that makes sense for you.

What We Have Learned

People who smoke are at a lower risk for carotid artery disease. True or false? The answer is false. People who smoke are at higher risk for carotid artery disease.

You might need to take a blood-thinning medication like aspirin to help prevent stroke. True or false? The answer is true. Blood-thinning medication can reduce the risk of a blood clot forming and causing a stroke.