CAROTID ARTERY DISEASE:
REDUCING YOUR STROKE RISK

WHAT IS A STROKE?

Stroke or CVA (cerebrovascular accident) is the 3rd leading cause of death in the U.S. today. Strokes are caused when the blood flow to the brain is interrupted, resulting in lack of oxygen to brain tissue, causing cell death. Symptoms vary depending on what area of the brain is affected; however, severe strokes may cause death, paralysis on one side of the body, and or loss of speech. Less severe forms of stroke called mini-strokes or TIAs (transient ischemic attacks) can cause temporary symptoms of numbness, slurred speech, weakness on one side of the body, and or visual changes. They can be a warning sign of impending stroke.

WHO IS AT RISK? Risk factors for stroke include patients with increasing age, a history of high blood pressure, tobacco use, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, obesity, heart or vascular disease, and or family history for stroke. Strokes may be caused by high blood pressure, blood clots, ruptured blood vessels in the brain, or most commonly, by disease in the carotid arteries, called atherosclerosis. The carotid arteries are the main arteries supplying blood flow to the brain. When these arteries become blocked with fatty deposits called plaque, pieces of the plaque may break off and travel to the brain, blocking blood flow and causing a stroke.

Plaque can build up and block blood flow. With the artery open, blood flow improves.

WHAT DO I DO IF I HAVE CAROTID DISEASE? Many patients experience no symptoms and are unaware they have carotid disease until they experience a stroke. Some patients have warning signs such as sudden loss of vision, numbness, temporary paralysis or weakness, slurred speech, and or memory problems. These warning signs may be referred to as mini-strokes or TIAs. A thorough history and physical examination may reveal risks for stroke. With a stethoscope, a physician may hear abnormal sounds in the neck arteries, which may be suggestive of carotid disease. An excellent tool for diagnosis is ultrasound or Doppler, which is a painless test performed by an ultrasound or vascular technician, which detects abnormal blood flow in the arteries. This test is available here in our accredited vascular lab and takes around 30-40 minutes to perform and evaluate. Results are available the same day.

A patient undergoes carotid ultrasound examination by a vascular technician in the office.

HOW CAN I PREVENT A STROKE?

Important measures to take to decrease your risk of stroke are to stop smoking, lower cholesterol through diet and or medication, control blood pressure and weight, and to exercise regularly. A physician may advise you to take certain medications such as aspirin or other blood thinners to decrease risk of stroke. For patients suspected of having carotid disease, ultrasound screening is highly recommended. For those patients who have significant blockages, with or without symptoms, surgery may be recommended. Currently, this involves a procedure called carotid endarterectomy. This is a hospital-based procedure performed by a vascular surgeon using local or general anesthesia whereby a small incision is made in the neck and carotid artery to remove the buildup of plaque. A patch made out of synthetic material may then be used to enlarge the artery. This usually involves an overnight stay in the hospital, with recovery over 3-7 days. In the very near future a new technique will be available, which utilizes no incisions and is performed using a balloon catheter (angioplasty) and stent, reducing hospital stay and allowing for a quicker and less painful recovery.

A Carotid Endarterectomy procedure

REMEMBER: STROKE IS PREVENTABLE!