Carotid Artery Disease

What is carotid artery disease?

The carotid arteries are a pair of large blood vessels present in the neck. They supply blood to the brain. When these arteries get blocked, it leads to a condition known as carotid artery disease. The arteries become narrow due to atherosclerosis, where plaque, made of cholesterol and calcium, deposit on the inner lining of these arteries. The risk of stroke goes up with the severity of the blockage.

What causes carotid artery disease?

Carotid artery disease can occur due to smoking, genetics, cholesterol level, high blood pressure and an unhealthy lifestyle.

What are the symptoms of carotid artery disease?

The narrowing of the arteries causes stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA). I TIA (also called a “ministroke”) is a condition in which a person suffers the exact same symptoms of a stroke, but they last generally less than an hour. This can include loss of vision in one eye, weakness on one side of the body, difficulty speaking or difficulty understanding what others are saying.

How is carotid artery disease diagnosed?

When you present to your doctor with these symptoms, your doctor will most likely order a carotid ultrasound. Other tests such as computerized tomographic angiography (a specialized CT scan) may be ordered to examine the blood vessels of the neck and brain. It is rarely necessary to perform carotid angiography on some patients who have this condition.

How is carotid artery disease treated?

Blood thinning medicines like aspirin and Plavix (clopidogrel) are suggested to help lower the risk of stroke. Surgery and stenting are the only effective way to treat patients with severe carotid artery disease.

• Carotid endarterectomy: This is the standard surgical procedure performed to treat individuals with carotid artery disease. The procedure is done in the operating room. The plaque is removed from the artery very carefully so that none is dislodged and goes to the brain. The procedure takes 1-2 hours to perform and is usually done under general anesthesia. There is a 1-4% risk of stroke during this procedure. 
• Stenting: The stent is a mesh-like tube made of metal, which has the ability to expand inside the blocked artery. The stent is mounted on a catheter and inserted into the blocked artery. The stent expands thus keeping the artery open. We generally do a specialized stenting procedure called the TCAR procedure.
• As with any other surgical procedure, surgery for carotid artery disease is associated with possible complications of heart attack, stroke and death.

As with any other surgical procedure, surgery for carotid artery is associated with possible complications of heart attack, stroke and death.

How can I prevent carotid artery disease?

Carotid artery disease can be prevented with the following lifestyle changes:

• Exercise regularly to reduce weight
• Stop smoking
• Monitor your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels regularly
• Follow your doctor’s treatment for high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease
• Eat healthy food