Carotid Artery Disease Specialist
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Carolinas Vein & Vascular Solutions
Martin Carignan, MD
Vascular and Endovascular Surgery & General Surgery located in Huntersville, NC & Mooresville, NC
Carotid artery disease causes 10% of all strokes, but you can take steps to prevent this serious condition with a risk assessment, screening, and by making changes to your lifestyle. At Carolinas Vein & Vascular Solutions, Martin Carignan, MD, specializes in helping patients prevent carotid artery disease. Dr. Carignan also offers advanced treatments to remove the blockage and restore blood flow to your brain. Whether you need preventive care or proactive treatment for carotid artery disease, call the office in Huntersville, North Carolina, or schedule an appointment online today.
Carotid Artery Disease Q & A
What causes carotid artery disease?
Carotid artery disease develops when cholesterol builds up in the artery wall - a condition called atherosclerosis. Without treatment, the fatty plaque keeps getting larger, and the artery wall hardens.
As the plaque enlarges, it blocks more of the blood flow in the artery. Since the carotid arteries deliver oxygen-rich blood to your brain, narrowed vessels put you at risk of having a stroke.
What symptoms develop if I have carotid artery disease?
Carotid artery disease seldom causes symptoms. Unfortunately, the first sign is often a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA).
When you have a stroke, the blood supply to your brain stops, causing brain damage. During a TIA, the blockage only lasts a few minutes, and your brain doesn’t suffer damage.
Strokes and TIAs cause the same symptoms, but a TIA happens so quickly and can be so mild you may not notice any signs of a problem.
The symptoms of a stroke include:
- Weakness or numbness on one side of your face and/or body
- Difficulty speaking
- Difficulty understanding others
- Changes in vision in one or both eyes
- Sudden, severe headache
- Dizziness
- Loss of balance
A stroke requires immediate emergency attention. If you notice a TIA, it’s important to schedule an appointment at Carolinas Vein & Vascular Solutions to begin treatment to prevent a future stroke.
How is carotid artery disease treated?
Treatment for carotid artery disease depends on the severity of the blood vessel blockage. However, it includes one or more of the following:
Lifestyle changes
In the early stage of atherosclerosis, you may slow down arterial narrowing by following a healthy diet, reducing your salt consumption, getting regular exercise, and losing weight. It’s also important to stop smoking if applicable.
Medications
Your provider prescribes medications for moderate carotid artery disease or mild atherosclerosis that doesn’t improve with lifestyle changes. You may need drugs to lower your blood pressure, reduce cholesterol levels, or thin your blood.
Minimally invasive procedures
When diagnostic imaging shows you have a moderate to severe blockage, or you already suffered a TIA, your provider at Carolinas Vein & Vascular Solutions performs a carotid angioplasty and stenting or transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR). During both procedures, they guide a catheter through the blood vessels to the plaque and then use specialized tools to remove the blockage.
Surgery
Your provider may perform surgery, called a carotid endarterectomy, to remove the plaque. Then they use a graft or patch to close the artery.
To learn about your risks or to get comprehensive care for carotid artery disease, call Carolinas Vein & Vascular Solutions, or schedule an appointment online today.
