Carotid Artery Disease

Overview

Mayo Clinic takes a team approach to diagnosing and treating carotid artery disease. Specialists from cardiovascular diseases, vascular surgery, neurology, neurosurgery, radiology and neuroradiology work together to determine the best treatment. Patients can see several physicians and have all needed tests within just a few days. Surgery, if required, can generally be scheduled within a day, if the patient desires. Mayo Clinic surgeons treat 5,000 to 6,000 patients each year with procedures (endarterectomy or stent) to clear blockages in the carotid arteries.

Diagnosis

Ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging are the most common tools used to determine if there is significant narrowing of the carotid arteries. Read more about carotid artery disease diagnosis.

Treatment Options

Mayo Clinic physicians evaluate patients who have a narrowing of the carotid arteries to determine if surgery would be beneficial. Surgical options are carotid endarterectomy or a less invasive procedure, carotid angioplasty and stenting. Read more about carotid artery disease treatment options.

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About Carotid Artery Disease

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The brain receives blood which carries nutrients and oxygen from four main arteries: the right carotid, left carotid, right vertebral and left vertebral arteries. The carotid arteries travel between the heart and the brain in the front of the neck. They carry blood to the cerebral cortex, which is responsible for most of our day-to-day functioning. Atherosclerosis ("hardening of the arteries") occurs when the arteries become clogged with fatty deposits. These deposits can severely restrict blood from getting to the brain, or a piece of the atherosclerosis may break off in the flowing blood and get lodged in an artery "downstream" in the brain. Either way a stroke can occur. Almost one-fourth of strokes result from narrowing of a carotid artery.

It is estimated that as many as 75 percent of people who suffer a stroke related to carotid artery disease have a warning in the form of a transient ischemic attack (TIA), prior to the stroke. A TIA is a temporary neurologic deficit (weakness, numbness or difficulty speaking) that lasts less than 24 hours and from which the patient completely recovers. If the deficit lasts longer than 24 hours but still full recovery occurs, it is called a reversible ischemic neurologic deficit (RIND). If the TIA only affects vision causing temporary loss of vision, or graying out of the vision in just one eye, it is called amaurosis fugax. Carotid artery disease is just one very important possible cause of TIAs.

Symptoms and risk factors often indicate carotid artery disease. They are serious and should not be ignored.

Read more about
Stroke and Transient Ischemic Attacks
at MayoClinic.com
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