Carotid Artery Disease

On this page

Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Symptoms
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Prevention and Risk Factors
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Living With
• Related Issues

See, Play and Learn

• Images

Research

• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Find an Expert

For You

• Patient Handouts

Summary

Your carotid arteries are two large blood vessels in your neck. They supply your brain with blood. If you have carotid artery disease, the arteries become narrow, usually because of atherosclerosis. This is the buildup of cholesterol and other material in an artery. If a blood clot sticks in the narrowed arteries, blood can't reach your brain. This is one of the causes of stroke.

Carotid artery disease often does not cause symptoms, but there are tests that can tell your doctor if you have it. If the arteries are very narrow, you may need an operation called an endarterectomy to remove the plaque. For less severe narrowing, a medicine to prevent blood clots can reduce your risk of stroke. Another option for people who can't have surgery is carotid angioplasty. This involves placing balloons and/or stents into the artery to open it and hold it open.

Start Here

• Carotid Artery Disease (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Carotid Artery Disease (Texas Heart Institute) Also in Spanish
• What Is Carotid Artery Disease? (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Symptoms

• What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Carotid Artery Disease? (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Diagnosis and Tests

• Carotid Artery Screening (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Carotid Ultrasound (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
• Carotid Ultrasound Imaging (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• How Is Carotid Artery Disease Diagnosed? (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
• MR Angiography (MRA) (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Screening for Carotid Artery Stenosis (U.S. Preventive Services Task Force) - PDF

Prevention and Risk Factors

• How Can Carotid Artery Disease Be Prevented? (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Treatments and Therapies

• Carotid Angioplasty and Stenting (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Carotid Endarterectomy (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
• How Is Carotid Artery Disease Treated? (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
• Questions and Answers about Carotid Endarterectomy (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)

Living With

• Living with Carotid Artery Disease (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Related Issues

• Carotid Artery Disease and Stroke (National Stroke Association) - PDF
• Who Is at Risk for Carotid Artery Disease? (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Images

• Carotid artery surgery - slideshow (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Carotid Artery Diseases (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Carotid Stenosis (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Endarterectomy, Carotid (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Medical Management of Asymptomatic Carotid Artery Stenosis.
• Article: Extracranial Carotid Disease and Effect of Intra-arterial Treatment in Patients...
• Article: Asymptomatic Carotid Artery Stenosis: Revascularization.
• Carotid Artery Disease -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• American Stroke Association
• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• Angioplasty and stent placement - carotid artery (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Carotid artery disease (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Carotid artery stenosis -- self-care (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Carotid artery surgery (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Carotid artery surgery - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Carotid duplex (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish