Carotid Artery Stenosis

Carotid artery stenosis, or disease, is due to a build up of plaque in the carotid artery. This build up causes a narrowing in the artery, which supplies blood to the brain. Many people do not realize that they have carotid artery stenosis until it is too late and they have a TIA or stroke. If caught early, carotid artery stenosis can be treated and preventive measures taken against stroke or TIA. These treatments can be oral prescriptions, life style changes, and/or surgical procedures. There are two type of surgical procedures, carotid endarterectomy and carotid artery stenting. Carotid artery stenting is when a stent is placed via catheter into the area of stenosis to open up the area and prevent complete clogging of the artery. Carotid endarterectomy is when the stenosed section of the artery is removed completely. Those that are at increased risk of carotid artery stenosis are those that drink, smoke, eat fatty and high in cholesterol foods, have diabetes, are older, are obese, are not physically active, or have a family history of the disease. Diagnosis can be made with MRA, CTA, carotid ultrasound, and cerebral angiography. Regular physicals are the best way to detect carotid artery stenosis before a stroke or TIA occurs. The image above is an MRA showing carotid artery stenosis.