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Carotid Artery Disease

What Is Carotid Artery Disease?

Carotid artery disease, also called carotid artery stenosis, occurs when the carotid arteries, the main blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood to the brain, become narrowed. Carotid artery disease is often linked to:

Atherosclerosis (thickening and hardening of the arteries)
Heart attack
Stroke or transient ischemic attack (mini-stroke)

Symptoms of Carotid Artery Disease

Carotid artery disease may be asymptomatic (without symptoms) or symptomatic (with symptoms). Most patients that suffer from carotid artery disease do not have symptoms until the arteries have narrowed to the point that they cause a transient ischemic attack (mini-stroke) or a stroke. Learn more about carotid artery disease symptoms.

What Causes Carotid Artery Disease?

Atherosclerosis is a slow, progressive, vascular disease and the most common cause of carotid artery disease. Atherosclerosis may start developing as early as childhood. While there are some known risk factors associated with atherosclerosis, we do not know exactly how it begins or what causes it. Learn more about carotid artery disease causes.

How to Diagnose Carotid Artery Disease

We can often diagnose carotid artery disease during a regular checkup with the aid of a stethoscope. For cases that are more difficult to diagnosis, Stanford offers many advanced diagnostic techniques, including MRI and CT scan. Learn more about carotid artery disease diagnosis.