Carotid artery disease
What is carotid artery disease and what causes it?
Carotid artery disease, also known as stenosis, is a condition in which the arteries that supply blood to the brain, face, and neck become narrowed. As a result, the brain is deprived of oxygen and nutrients.
Carotid artery disease, also known as stenosis, is a condition in which the arteries that supply blood to the brain, face, and neck become narrowed. As a result, the brain is deprived of oxygen and nutrients.
The main cause of carotid artery disease is atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is the buildup of plaque in the arteries, which is made up of cholesterol, calcium, fibrous tissue, and other cellular debris. As a result of plaque formation, the lumen of the blood vessel narrows or becomes blocked, which can lead to stroke and ischemic attack.
Carotid artery stenosis can also be caused by trauma, blood clots, dissection, dysplasia, vasculitis, and others.
Risk factors for developing carotid artery disease include:
- Age (> 65 years);
- High blood pressure;
- High cholesterol;
- Obesity;
- Diabetes;
- Cardiovascular disease;
- Smoking.
What are the symptoms of carotid artery disease?
In the early stages, carotid artery disease may be completely asymptomatic. Symptoms usually develop when the condition becomes severe and a stroke or transient ischemic attack occurs.
Symptoms of a stroke include:
Numbness or weakness in the face or limbs, usually on one side;
- Slurred speech;
- Visual disturbances;
- Dizziness or loss of balance;
- Severe headache;
- Memory problems;
- Cerebral palsy.
The symptoms of an ischemic attack are similar to those of a stroke, but they only last a few minutes or hours.
Stroke and ischemic attack require emergency medical attention.
How is carotid artery disease diagnosed?
Due to the fact that carotid artery disease is usually asymptomatic until complications occur, its timely diagnosis, unfortunately, is often not possible. The diagnostic process includes several stages and is determined according to the patient's condition and risk factors.
During the clinical assessment, the doctor is familiar with the patient's history and checks the noise in the carotid artery with a stethoscope, since a narrowed blood vessel is usually characterized by a specific sound.
As for studies, various types of examinations can be prescribed for diagnostic purposes, such as:
- Duplex scanning, which allows both echocardiography and ultrasound examination of blood vessels with the Doppler effect;
- Computed tomography angiography, which allows you to determine the exact location and degree of stenosis;
- Magnetic resonance angiography, which provides even more information about the condition of the carotid arteries and blood circulation in them.
How is carotid artery disease treated?
Treatment methods for carotid artery disease depend on the degree of damage to the lumen of the carotid artery, symptoms, the patient's age and his health.
Mild and moderate disease is managed with lifestyle changes and medications that regulate blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels or thin the blood. In severe cases of the disease, surgical manipulation is prescribed, such as:
Carotid endarterectomy - involves the removal of arterial plaque through open surgical intervention;
Endovascular surgery is a minimally invasive method that involves implanting a metal stent into a narrowed blood vessel to restore normal blood flow.
Is it possible to prevent carotid artery disease?
To prevent carotid artery disease and stroke, it is important for the patient to live a healthy lifestyle and undergo regular screening of blood vessels as prescribed by an angiologist. In order to prevent narrowing of blood vessels, it is recommended:
- A healthy, balanced diet;
- Physical activity;
- Weight control;
- Smoking cessation;
- Moderate alcohol consumption;
- Control of chronic diseases such as arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia;
- Regular screening and taking medications as prescribed by a doctor.
