What causes blocked carotid arteries?

Carotid artery disease is caused by the buildup of plaque in the arteries that carry blood to the brain. Associated causes include cholesterol, calcium, fibrous tissue, or other cellular debris that forms emboli—this process is called atherosclerosis.

What are the symptoms of carotid artery disease?

In many cases, this disease is asymptomatic until the dreaded stroke occurs. However, some symptoms may include sudden weakness, numbness in the face, arms, or legs, difficulty speaking, sudden vision problems, dizziness, and severe headaches.

Is it possible to prevent a stroke?

Because symptoms can be imperceptible, a stroke can occur without warning. To prevent it, it's crucial to be aware of the risk factors for this disease.

Is carotid artery disease surgery dangerous?

Carotid endarterectomy poses serious risks to the patient, especially if they are over 75. Complications that can arise include stroke, heart attack, or even life-threatening complications. However, it is a necessary method for treating this condition.

Carotid Disease Treatment: How to Reduce Your Stroke Risk

Reduce your risk of stroke. Learn about the surgery that removes the lesion that has formed in the walls of the carotid artery.

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Learn more about Carotid Disease

Watch videos from our specialist, Professor Sérgio Sampaio, and learn more about the symptoms and treatments for this disease.

Carotid Disease - Prof. Dr. Sérgio Sampaio - Allure Clinic

Carotid Disease - Treatment - Prof. Dr. Sérgio Sampaio - Allure Clinic

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What is Carotid Disease?

Carotid disease is characterized by the involvement of the carotid axis by atherosclerosis, that is, the hardening of the wall and the narrowing of the circulation zone within the artery.

This disease can affect the common carotid artery, the carotid bifurcation, or the internal carotid artery itself.

This condition deserves special attention due to the possibility of creating emboli that will later lodge in the cerebral arteries, potentially causing a stroke.

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Risk Factors

The risk groups are similar to those of atherosclerosis. In other words:

Smokers
Hypertensive patients
Diabetics
High cholesterol

Although this disease is more prevalent in older ages, for both sexes, men end up being more prone and have an earlier risk compared to women, who only have a higher incidence after menopause.

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Treatment of Carotid Disease

All interventions aim to prevent and reduce the risk of stroke resulting from carotid artery disease.

Drugs

Treatment is carried out using antiplatelet drugs (aspirin and clopidogrel) and drugs that aim to reduce cholesterol levels, the common statins.

The latter should be considered even if cholesterol levels are normal. This is because, once the disease is present, in addition to lowering cholesterol levels, these medications act directly on the wall of the affected artery, stabilizing the lesions.

Carotid Endarterectomy

In certain very specific situations, depending on the characteristics of the plaque and whether or not central neurological symptoms have already occurred, surgery may be indicated – carotid endarterectomy.

This intervention involves removing the atheroma plaque, that is, removing the part of the wall affected by the disease and closing the artery using an artificial patch or a vein removed from another area of the body.

This reduces the likelihood of further events, as well as the risk of stroke from that location. However, one of the immediate complications of surgery can be a stroke.

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Post-Treatment

Specific care is the same as for any surgery.

Typically, patients are discharged within 48 hours of the procedure. After recovery, they can resume normal daily activities.

When it comes to preventive measures, it's important to control your risk factors for the rest of your life: you shouldn't smoke and you should have your blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes levels monitored.