Carotid artery disease

The carotid arteries are the primary blood channels that carry blood to your brain. Each side of your neck has one carotid artery. When your doctor places his or her hands on your neck to check for a pulse, they are touching one of your carotid arteries. Carotid Artery Disease happens when there is a blockage in one or both of these arteries. This will limit the amount of blood flow into your brain, which can lead to a stroke. Out of the 795,000 people that have strokes every year, most of these are caused by Carotid Artery Disease or Artrial Fibbulation, according to the CDC. 

Plaque buildups are usually concentrates of: 

1. Cholesterol 
2. Fat
3. Cellular Waste 
4. Protein 
5. Calcium 

1. High blood pressure can weaken your arterial walls causing them to be more susceptible to damage. 
2. High Cholesterol is a major risk for atherosclerosis. 
3. Diabetes affects your body’s ability to process blood sugar which increases your risk of high blood pressure and atherosclerosis. 
4. Obesity increases your risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and atherosclerosis. 
5. Physical inactivity can cause high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity
6. Smoking The lining of your arteries might be irritated by smoking. It can also cause an increase in heart rate and blood pressure.
7. Old Age increases your chances of stiffer and damaged arteries. 
8. Family History of Atherosclerosis is linked with a higher chance of carotid artery disease. 

Symptoms tend to occur once your arteries have become fully blocked or nearly blocked. Early on, there are typically no symptoms associated with the disease. Once it is around 80% blocked, it is considered completely blocked. At this point, you are at high risk for a transient ischemic attack (TIA), categorized as a “mini stroke” as it causes stroke-like symptoms for a few minutes to a few hours. These symptoms include: 

1. a sudden sensation of weakness or numbness in the face, arms, or legs (typically on one side of the body)
2. Trouble speaking or understanding 
3. Sudden vision problems in one or both eyes 
4. Dizziness 
5. Sudden, severe headache 
6. Drooping on one side of your face.