Carotid Artery Disease
Carotid Artery Disease and Stroke
Oxygenated blood is carried from the heart to the face and brain by the carotid arteries one on each side of the neck. The carotid arteries (common) bifurcate and become the internal carotid artery (ICA) and the external carotid artery (ECA). Blood supply to the brain is mainly through the internal carotid artery and the vertebral arteries (1).
Blood flow to the brain is affected by carotid artery disease.
Carotid artery disease is the narrowing (stenosis) or blockage (occlusion) of the carotid arteries. Carotid artery disease is a common problem and a major cause of stroke. Carotid artery disease is caused by atherosclerosis (plaque) Atherosclerosis cannot be prevented, but the progression of the disease …show more content…
When blood flow to the brain is impaired oxygen and glucose cannot be delivered (2).
The adult brain represents two percent of total body weight, but consumes more than twenty percent of the oxygen and glucose used even during rest.
When blood flow to the brain is interrupted neural functions are impaired. Deprivation of four minutes or more can cause permanent damage and even a brief slowing can cause unconsciousness (3).
Strokes are the third leading cause of death in the United States. Among the survivors, strokes can cause significant disability including paralysis along with speech and emotional problems (5)
The symptoms that follow a stroke depend on the area of the brain that was affected and the magnitude of damage. Small strokes may not have any symptoms but still damage brain tissue; this type of stroke is referred to as a silent stroke. According to The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NNDS) the five major signs of stroke are …show more content…
Clot busting therapy must start within three hours (4). Aspirin is the best-proven treatment immediately following a stroke to reduce the chance of having another stroke (4). Warfin, Coumadin and heparin may be given, but they are not used as commonly as aspirin. An injection of tissue plasminogon activator (clot buster) has shown some recovery benefit to patients but cannot be used with patients who are having a hemorrhagic stroke (4).
Carotid endarterectomy or angioplasty and stents may be performed to open up the carotid arteries and return blood flow to the brain (5).
Hemorrhagic stroke usually require some type of surgery. The most common procedures done are aneurysm clipping and arteriovenous malformation removal (AVM) and coiling.
Aneurysm clipping: A small clamp is placed at the base of the aneurysm, cutting it off from circulation. This may keep the aneurysm from bursting. The clip stays in place permanently (4).
Aneurysm embolization: A catheter is positioned into the aneurysm and a small coil is pushed inside the catheter. The coil fills the aneurysm causing the blood to clot and sealing off the aneurysm (4)
Surgical AVM removal: this procedure can only be done on small, superficial vessels that are easily accessible. This procedure has proven to eliminate the risk of rupture and thereby lowering the overall risk of hemorrhagic stroke
Oxygenated blood is carried from the heart to the face and brain by the carotid arteries one on each side of the neck. The carotid arteries (common) bifurcate and become the internal carotid artery (ICA) and the external carotid artery (ECA). Blood supply to the brain is mainly through the internal carotid artery and the vertebral arteries (1).
Blood flow to the brain is affected by carotid artery disease.
Carotid artery disease is the narrowing (stenosis) or blockage (occlusion) of the carotid arteries. Carotid artery disease is a common problem and a major cause of stroke. Carotid artery disease is caused by atherosclerosis (plaque) Atherosclerosis cannot be prevented, but the progression of the disease …show more content…
When blood flow to the brain is impaired oxygen and glucose cannot be delivered (2).
The adult brain represents two percent of total body weight, but consumes more than twenty percent of the oxygen and glucose used even during rest.
When blood flow to the brain is interrupted neural functions are impaired. Deprivation of four minutes or more can cause permanent damage and even a brief slowing can cause unconsciousness (3).
Strokes are the third leading cause of death in the United States. Among the survivors, strokes can cause significant disability including paralysis along with speech and emotional problems (5)
The symptoms that follow a stroke depend on the area of the brain that was affected and the magnitude of damage. Small strokes may not have any symptoms but still damage brain tissue; this type of stroke is referred to as a silent stroke. According to The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NNDS) the five major signs of stroke are …show more content…
Clot busting therapy must start within three hours (4). Aspirin is the best-proven treatment immediately following a stroke to reduce the chance of having another stroke (4). Warfin, Coumadin and heparin may be given, but they are not used as commonly as aspirin. An injection of tissue plasminogon activator (clot buster) has shown some recovery benefit to patients but cannot be used with patients who are having a hemorrhagic stroke (4).
Carotid endarterectomy or angioplasty and stents may be performed to open up the carotid arteries and return blood flow to the brain (5).
Hemorrhagic stroke usually require some type of surgery. The most common procedures done are aneurysm clipping and arteriovenous malformation removal (AVM) and coiling.
Aneurysm clipping: A small clamp is placed at the base of the aneurysm, cutting it off from circulation. This may keep the aneurysm from bursting. The clip stays in place permanently (4).
Aneurysm embolization: A catheter is positioned into the aneurysm and a small coil is pushed inside the catheter. The coil fills the aneurysm causing the blood to clot and sealing off the aneurysm (4)
Surgical AVM removal: this procedure can only be done on small, superficial vessels that are easily accessible. This procedure has proven to eliminate the risk of rupture and thereby lowering the overall risk of hemorrhagic stroke