Carotid Artery Disease

Description

Carotid Artery Disease - Carotid artery disease occurs when fatty buildup called plaque in the carotid artery, a blood vessel in charge of delivering blood to the brain and head. Fat inhibits blood supply to the brain and increase the risk of stroke.

However, due to the development of carotid artery disease, walked slowly and often do not know the symptoms, the first clues that can be recognized is if a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) aka ministroke.

Cause

Carotid arteries can become stiff and cramped from time to time due to the buildup of plaque on an ongoing basis can block blood flow and lead to carotid artery disease.

Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, fiber network and a number of other materials that accumulate and form a kind of microscopic injury to the arteries and creates a blood clot (thrombus). The process of plaque buildup is called atherosclerosis.

Symptom

- One side of the face or body sudden numbness or weakness
- Stuttering and difficult to understand something
- Sudden disturbances of vision in one eye or both
- Dizziness or loss of balance
- Severe headache that suddenly occurs without a known cause

Treatment

1. Mild to moderate
- Changes in lifestyle
- Managing chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, excessive weight gain or diabetes
- Consumption of drugs control blood pressure such as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, calcium channel blockers or statins to lower cholesterol

2. Weight
- Carotid Procedures endarterectomi
- Procedures carotid angioplasty and carotid stenting

Sources: Health Seconds