A treatment to treat carotid artery stenosis is carotid artery stenosis surgery. Endarterectomy is a surgical operation that can be used for the treatment of carotid artery stenosis. The carotid artery is responsible for supplying blood to your brain and face. Each side of your neck has one of these arteries. Plaque, a fatty substance, can partially or completely restrict blood flow in this artery. This can cut off blood flow to your brain, resulting in a stroke. The goal of carotid artery stenosis treatment is to improve blood flow to the brain. There are two ways for treating a…
A treatment to treat carotid artery stenosis is carotid artery stenosis surgery. Endarterectomy is a surgical operation that can be used for the treatment of carotid artery stenosis.
The carotid artery is responsible for supplying blood to your brain and face. Each side of your neck has one of these arteries. Plaque, a fatty substance, can partially or completely restrict blood flow in this artery. This can cut off blood flow to your brain, resulting in a stroke.
The goal of carotid artery stenosis treatment is to improve blood flow to the brain. There are two ways for treating a plaque-clogged carotid artery.
What Is Carotid Artery Stenosis?
Carotid artery stenosis is a disorder in which the main artery on either side of your neck, the carotid artery, becomes clogged. Plaque is the material that causes the blockage (fatty cholesterol deposits). You are more likely to have a stroke if plaque stops the regular flow of blood through your carotid artery. Atherosclerosis is the accumulation of plaque.
There are two carotid arteries in your neck, one on each side. These are the main arteries that supply blood to the brain, face, and head. These arteries are smooth and open when they are healthy, like a clean pipe that permits fluid to flow freely without obstruction. The circulatory system of your body is a network of tubes that transport blood (which contains nutrients and oxygen) to all parts of your body.
Carotid artery stenosis can affect one or both of the two arteries in your neck. Without medical attention, this disease can deteriorate over time, leading to a stroke with serious complications, including death.
What Are the Symptoms of Carotid Artery Disease?
A stroke can result from carotid artery stenosis symptoms. Pieces of plaque (or platelets that form on plaque) migrate to your brain in the type of stroke that frequently results from carotid stenosis. Ischemic stroke is a type of stroke that occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is cut off. Your brain cells or neurons begin to die when this obstruction is permanent.
A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a type of “mini-stroke” that occurs when plaque and/or platelets temporarily block a tiny brain artery. A TIA is common before an ischemic stroke in many persons. In order to avoid cell death, it’s critical to get therapy for these conditions as soon as feasible.
A TIA or stroke can cause the following symptoms:
- One-half of your face is drooping.
- Speech that is slurred or has difficulty forming words and interacting with others.
- Loss of vision in one eye is accompanied by the sensation of a black shade falling across your field of vision.
- One-half of your body is losing sensation.
- Muscle weakness and loss of strength on one side of the body.
You may not notice any symptoms if you have carotid artery stenosis that hasn’t caused a stroke.
What Are the Causes of Carotid Artery Stenosis?
When fatty material called plaque builds up inside the arteries, it causes carotid artery disease. The plaque buildup is referred to as artery hardening (atherosclerosis).
The plaque can constrict or block the carotid artery over time. It could also cause a clot to form unexpectedly. A stroke can occur when a clot fully stops an artery.
The following are some of the risk factors for artery blockage or narrowing:
- Tobacco use (people who smoke one pack a day double their risk for stroke)
- Diabetes
- Blood pressure that is too high
- Cholesterol and triglyceride levels are high.
- Getting older
- Stroke history in the family
- Use of alcoholic beverages
- Use of recreational drugs
- Trauma to the neck that could result in a tear in the carotid artery
How is Carotid Artery Stenosis Diagnosed?
Frequent diagnosis of Carotid artery stenosis is done after a stroke has occurred. The symptoms motivate your doctor to perform a comprehensive examination for any type of blockage, which may lead to the diagnosis of carotid artery stenosis. During a stethoscope exam of your neck, your provider may hear an irregular sound termed a bruit (whistling sound) or murmur, which can be used to identify this condition. Several tests are used by doctors to establish a diagnosis of carotid artery stenosis and determine the extent and location of the obstruction. These tests may involve the following:
- Ultrasound
- Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA)
- Cerebral Angiography
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Your healthcare professional will check to see if you have the problem, how large it is, and where it is located throughout the diagnosis procedure. Mild, moderate, and severe carotid artery stenosis are the three types of stenosis. A minor blockage is defined as one that is less than 50% blocked. This suggests that your artery is only partially obstructed. A moderate blockage is defined as a blockage that is between 50% and 79%. The most serious classification is when the majority of your artery is blocked, which can range from 80% to 99%.
