The carotid arteries, through the neck, and the vertebral arteries, through the back of the neck, supply the brain with its blood. The carotid arteries ascend in the neck to just below the jaw. There, they divide into an external branch which supplies the facial structures, and an internal branch which supplies the brain. Atherosclerosis, the most common form of vascular disease, often occurs at the level of the carotid bifurcation. The disease artery narrows and leads to carotid stenosis. When the narrowing is severe enough, it may produce neurological symptoms because insufficient blood enters the brain. Alternately, small emboli break off of the disease artery and float upwards where they block an artery of the brain. This may produce a transient ischemic attack or a stroke. The narrowed artery may become completely occluded. This can lead to a major stroke or due to the interconnections of the arteries within the brain, it might be asymptomatic.
Causes of Carotid Artery Stenosis
Stenosis of the carotid artery usually occurs from atherosclerosis. Here, fatty deposits develop in the inner layer of the vessel. They may be complicating by clots or clumps of platelets. The Vessel gradually narrows. People who have undergone carotid endarterectomy, to remove these plaques, may develop narrowing of the blood vessel in response to the surgery.
Signs and Symptoms of Carotid Artery Stenosis
An episode of weakness, numbness or speech problems may occur. It may be temporary, and fully recover. Or it may be permanent. There may be symptoms caused by temporary occlusion of the vessels to the retina, leading to visual problems in one eye.
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Medical Content Last Updated on 07/12/2008
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