Carotid artery disease occurs when fatty deposits (plaques) clog the blood vessels that deliver blood to your brain and head (carotid arteries). The blockage increases your risk of stroke, a medical emergency that occurs when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted or seriously reduced.
Stroke deprives your brain of oxygen. Within minutes, brain cells begin to die. Stroke is the fourth most common cause of death and the leading cause of permanent disability in the U.S.
Carotid artery disease develops slowly. The first sign that you have the condition may be a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). TIA is a temporary shortage of blood flow to your brain.
Treatment of carotid artery disease usually involves a combination of lifestyle changes, medication and sometimes surgery.
July 19, 2014
- Furie KL. Pathophysiology of symptoms from carotid atherosclerosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed April 22, 2014.
- McCarron MO, et al. Screening for asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed April 22, 2014.
- Daroff RB, et al. Bradley's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier Saunders; 2012. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed April 22, 2014.
- Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2014: 5 Books in 1. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2014. http://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed April 22, 2014.
- Bope ET, et al. Conn's Current Therapy. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2013. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed April 22, 2014.
- AskMayoExpert. What are the risk factors for carotid artery disease? Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2014.
- Carotid artery disease. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/catd/. Accessed April 27, 2014.
- Grotta JC. Carotid stenosis. New England Journal of Medicine. 2013;369:1144.
- Furie KL. Evaluation of carotid artery stenosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed April 22, 2014.
- Mohler ER III, et al. Management of asymptomatic carotid atherosclerotic disease. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed April 22, 2014.
- Mohler ER III, et al. Management of symptomatic carotid atherosclerotic disease. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed April 22, 2014.
- Morales-Volero SF, et al. Asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis: Time to rethink our therapeutic options? Neurosurgery Focus. In press. Accessed April 27, 2014.
- Babu MA, et al. The durability of carotid endarterectomy: Long-term results for restenosis and stroke. Neurosurgery. 2013;72:835.
- Riggin EA. Decision Support System. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 28, 2014.
.