What happens if carotid artery is damaged

The condition may go unnoticed until it's serious enough to deprive your brain of blood, causing a stroke or TIA. Seek emergency care if you experience any signs or symptoms of stroke. Even if they last only a short while and then you feel normal, see a doctor right away. You may have experienced a TIA, an important sign that you're at risk of a full-blown stroke.

Talk to your doctor if you have risk factors for carotid artery disease. Even if you don't have any signs or symptoms, your doctor may recommend aggressive management of your risk factors to protect you from stroke.

Seeing a doctor early increases your chances that carotid artery disease will be found and treated before a disabling stroke occurs. Carotid artery disease is caused by a buildup of plaques in arteries that deliver blood to your brain.

Plaques are clumps of cholesterol, calcium, fibrous tissue and other cellular debris that gather at microscopic injury sites within the artery. This process is called atherosclerosis. Carotid arteries that are clogged with plaques are stiff and narrow.

Clogged carotid arteries have trouble delivering oxygen and nutrients to vital brain structures that are responsible for your day-to-day functioning. Ischemic stroke occurs when a blood clot blocks or plugs an artery leading to the brain. A blood clot often forms in arteries damaged by the buildup of plaques atherosclerosis. It can occur in the carotid artery of the neck as well as other arteries. Carotid artery disease causes about 10 to 20 percent of strokes. A stroke is a medical emergency that can leave you with permanent brain damage and muscle weakness.

In severe cases, a stroke can be fatal. Carotid artery disease care at Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Carotid artery Open pop-up dialog box Close.

Carotid artery The carotid arteries are a pair of blood vessels located on both sides of your neck that deliver blood to your brain and head. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Ischemic stroke Open pop-up dialog box Close. Ischemic stroke Ischemic stroke occurs when a blood clot blocks or plugs an artery leading to the brain.

Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Furie KL. Pathophysiology of symptoms from carotid atherosclerosis. Accessed April 24, This means choosing and preparing foods that are lower in salt and sodium. Food labels tell you what you need to know about choosing foods that are lower in sodium. Try to eat no more than 2, milligrams of sodium a day. If you have high blood pressure, you may need to restrict your sodium intake even more.

The DASH eating plan focuses on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other foods that are heart healthy and low in fat, cholesterol, and sodium and salt. Read more about DASH. Try to limit alcohol intake. Too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure and triglyceride levels, a type of fat found in the blood. Alcohol also adds extra calories, which may cause weight gain.

Men should have no more than two drinks containing alcohol a day. Women should have no more than one drink containing alcohol a day. One drink is:. Maintaining a healthy weight is important for overall health and can lower your risk for carotid artery disease.

Aim for a Healthy Weight by following a heart-healthy eating plan and keeping physically active. A BMI:. A general goal to aim for is a BMI of less than Your doctor or health care provider can help you set an appropriate BMI goal. Measuring waist circumference helps screen for possible health risks.

This risk may be high with a waist size that is greater than 35 inches for women or greater than 40 inches for men. A loss of just 3 percent to 5 percent of your current weight can lower your triglycerides, blood glucose, and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Greater amounts of weight loss can improve blood pressure readings, lower LDL cholesterol, and increase HDL cholesterol. Managing and coping with stress. Learning how to manage stress, relax, and cope with problems can improve your emotional and physical health. Consider healthy stress-reducing activities, such as:.

Physical activity also can lower your risk for diabetes and raise your HDL cholesterol level. Everyone should try to participate in moderate-intensity aerobic exercise at least 2 hours and 30 minutes per week, or vigorous aerobic exercise for 1 hour and 15 minutes per week. Aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, is any exercise in which your heart beats faster and you use more oxygen than usual.

The more active you are, the more you will benefit. Participate in aerobic exercise for at least 10 minutes at a time spread throughout the week. Talk with your doctor before you start a new exercise plan. Ask your doctor how much and what kinds of physical activity are safe for you. If you smoke, quit. Smoking can raise your risk for coronary heart disease and heart attack and worsen other coronary heart disease risk factors.

Talk with your doctor about programs and products that can help you quit smoking. Also, try to avoid secondhand smoke. If you have trouble quitting smoking on your own, consider joining a support group. Many hospitals, workplaces, and community groups offer classes to help people quit smoking.

Read more about quitting smoking at Smoking and Your Heart. If you have a stroke caused by a blood clot, you may be given a clot-dissolving, or clot-busting, medication. This type of medication must be given within 4 hours of symptom onset. Medicines to prevent blood clots are the mainstay treatment for people who have carotid artery disease. They prevent platelets from clumping together and forming blood clots in your carotid arteries, which can lead to a stroke. Two common medications are:.

For example, you also may need statin medications to control or lower your cholesterol. By lowering your blood cholesterol level, you can decrease your chance of having a heart attack or stroke. Doctors usually prescribe statins for people who have:. Doctors may discuss beginning statin treatment with those who have an elevated risk for developing heart disease or having a stroke.

You may need other medications to treat diseases and conditions that damage the carotid arteries. Your doctor also may prescribe medications to:. Take all medicines regularly, as your doctor prescribes. You may need a medical procedure if you have symptoms caused by the narrowing of the carotid artery. Doctors use one of two methods to open narrowed or blocked carotid arteries: carotid endarterectomy and carotid artery angioplasty and stenting.

Carotid endarterectomy is mainly for people whose carotid arteries are blocked 50 percent or more. For the procedure, a surgeon will make a cut in your neck to reach the narrowed or blocked carotid artery.

Finally, your surgeon will close the artery with stitches and stop any bleeding. He or she will then close the cut in your neck. The illustration shows the process of carotid endarterectomy. Figure A shows a carotid artery with plaque buildup. The inset image shows a cross-section of the narrowed carotid artery.

Figure B shows how the carotid artery is cut and how the plaque is removed. Figure C shows the artery stitched up and normal blood flow restored. The inset image shows a cross-section of the artery with plaque removed and normal blood flow restored. Doctors use a procedure called angioplasty to widen the carotid arteries and restore blood flow to the brain. A thin tube with a deflated balloon on the end is threaded through a blood vessel in your neck to the narrowed or blocked carotid artery.

Once in place, the balloon is inflated to push the plaque outward against the wall of the artery. A stent a small mesh tube is then put in the artery to support the inner artery wall. The stent also helps prevent the artery from becoming narrowed or blocked again. The illustration shows the process of carotid artery stenting.

Figure A shows an internal carotid artery that has plaque buildup and reduced blood flow. Figure B shows a stent being placed in the carotid artery to support the inner artery wall and keep the artery open. Figure C shows normal blood flow restored in the stent-widened artery.

The inset image shows a cross-section of the stent-widened artery. A stroke can also occur if blood clots form in the carotid arteries. This can happen if the plaque in an artery cracks or ruptures. Blood cell fragments called platelets PLATE-lets stick to the site of the injury and may clump together to form blood clots. Blood clots can partially, or fully, block a carotid artery.

A piece of plaque or a blood clot can also break away from the wall of the carotid artery. The plaque or clot can travel through the bloodstream and get stuck in one of the brain's smaller arteries. This can block blood flow in the artery and cause a stroke.

Carotid artery disease may not cause signs or symptoms until the carotid arteries are severely narrowed or blocked. For some people, a stroke is the first sign of the disease.

Other conditions, such as certain heart problems and bleeding in the brain, can also cause strokes. Lifestyle changes, medicines, and medical procedures can help prevent or treat carotid artery disease and may reduce the risk of stroke. If you think you're having a stroke, you need urgent treatment. Call 9—1—1 right away if you have symptoms of a stroke.

Taking action to control your risk factors can help prevent or delay atherosclerosis and its related diseases. Your risk for atherosclerosis increases with the number of risk factors you have. Heart-Healthy Eating. Adopt heart-healthy eating habits, which include eating different fruits and vegetables including beans and peas , whole grains, lean meats, poultry without skin, seafood, and fat-free or low-fat milk and dairy products. A heart-healthy diet is low in sodium, added sugar, solid fats, and refined grains.

Following a heart-healthy diet is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Physical Activity. Be as physically active as you can. Physical activity can improve your fitness level and your health. Exercise can help maintain a healthy weight and reduce risks for carotid artery disease. Lower blood pressure. High blood pressure causes wear and tear and inflammation in blood vessels increasing the risk for artery narrowing.

People with diabetes may need even lower blood pressure. These medicines make platelets in the blood less able to stick together and cause clots. Aspirin, clopidogrel, and dipyridamole are examples of antiplatelet medicines.

Cholesterol-lowering medicines. Statins are a group of cholesterol-lowering medicines. They include simvastatin and atorvastatin. Studies have shown that certain statins can decrease the thickness of the carotid artery wall and increase the size of the opening of the artery. Blood pressure-lowering medicines.

Several different medicines work to lower blood pressure. Surgical treatment decreases the risk for stroke after symptoms such as TIA or minor stroke. Carotid endarterectomy CEA. This is surgery to remove plaque and blood clots from the carotid arteries. Carotid artery angioplasty with stenting CAS. This is an option for people who are unable to have carotid endarterectomy. It uses a very small hollow tube, or catheter, that is thread through a blood vessel in the groin to the carotid arteries.

Once the catheter is in place, a balloon is inflated to open the artery and a stent is placed. A stent is a thin, metal-mesh framework used to hold the artery open. The main complication of carotid artery disease is stroke. Stroke can cause serious disability and may be fatal. You can prevent or delay carotid artery disease in the same way that you would prevent heart disease. This includes:. Diet changes. Eat a healthy diet that includes plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats such as poultry and fish, and low-fat or non-fat dairy products, Limit your intake of salt, sugar, processed foods, saturated fats, and alcohol.

Aim for 40 minutes of moderate to vigorous-level physical activity at least 3 to 4 days per week. If you smoke, break the habit. Enroll in a stop-smoking program to improve your chances of success.

Ask your doctor about prescription options. Learn the symptoms of stroke and have your family members also learn them. If you think you are having symptoms of a stroke, call immediately. Carotid artery disease is narrowing of the carotid arteries. These arteries deliver oxygenated blood from the heart to the brain.

Narrowing of the carotid arteries can cause a stroke or symptoms of a stroke and should be treated right away. Eating a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet that is high in vegetables, lean meats, fruits, and high fiber is one way to reduce the risk of carotid disease.

Exercise, quitting smoking, blood pressure control, and medicine can also help. Opening the carotid arteries once they are narrowed can be done with a surgery or with angioplasty and a stent. Carotid artery disease may not have symptoms, but if you have significant risk factors, see your healthcare provider for screening and diagnosis.

Health Home Conditions and Diseases. What causes carotid artery disease? Who is at risk for carotid artery disease? Risk factors associated with atherosclerosis include: Older age Male Family history Race Genetic factors High cholesterol High blood pressure Smoking Diabetes Overweight Diet high in saturated fat Lack of exercise Although these factors increase a person's risk, they do not always cause the disease. What are the symptoms of carotid artery disease?

Symptoms of a TIA or stroke may include: Sudden weakness or clumsiness of an arm or leg on one side of the body Sudden paralysis of an arm or leg on one side of the body Loss of coordination or movement Confusion, decreased ability to concentrate, dizziness, fainting, or headache Numbness or loss of feeling in the face or in an arm or leg Temporary loss of vision or blurred vision Inability to speak clearly or slurred speech If you or a loved one has any of these symptoms, call for medical help right away.