What is Carotid Artery Disease?
Carotid artery disease is a build-up of plaque in the arteries supplying the brain. Treatment decisions consider the degree of narrowing, symptoms, general health and the balance of medical, surgical and endovascular options.
Bring the carotid Doppler report and images, CT or MR angiography, stroke-discharge papers and current medicines. A vascular consultation reviews whether the narrowing is symptomatic and whether medical therapy, surveillance, surgery or stenting is appropriate.
Why Carotid Artery Disease Happens
Carotid artery disease is usually caused by atherosclerotic plaque in the neck arteries supplying the brain. Smoking, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and age contribute. Stroke risk depends on more than a percentage alone; symptoms, plaque features, anatomy and general health all matter.
Who May Be More at Risk?
Prior TIA or stroke, tobacco exposure, diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol disease, kidney disease and atherosclerosis elsewhere increase risk. Carotid narrowing may be discovered during imaging even when a person has never had neurological symptoms.
Common signs and symptoms
- Temporary weakness on one side
- Speech or vision disturbance
- Previous TIA or stroke
- Carotid narrowing found on imaging
How it may be evaluated
- Neurological and vascular history
- Carotid Doppler
- CT or MR angiography
- Cardiovascular risk review
Treatment options
- Medication and risk-factor control
- Surveillance imaging
- Carotid endarterectomy
- Carotid stenting in selected patients
What Can Help Before and After Treatment?
Take antiplatelet, cholesterol and blood-pressure medicines exactly as prescribed, stop tobacco and manage diabetes. These measures remain important even after a carotid procedure. New facial droop, arm weakness, speech difficulty or sudden vision loss needs emergency stroke care.
What Can Happen Without Appropriate Care?
Plaque can narrow blood flow or release material that blocks a smaller brain artery, causing TIA or stroke. Many people remain asymptomatic, so management balances medication, surveillance and the potential benefits and risks of carotid endarterectomy or stenting.
