Carotid Artery Stenosis

You may not notice any symptoms of carotid artery stenosis itself. It can cause 2 kinds of stroke when some of the artery plaque breaks off and travels to your brain:

• a stroke that cuts off blood supply to a section of your brain, permanently causing your brain cells or neurons to die

• a “mini-stroke” (a transient ischemic attack  or TIA) that’s a temporary blockage  - but often comes before a stroke

Common symptoms of a stroke include:

• a drooping eye or mouth on one side

• arms going weak – not being able to raise them up or keep them raised

• slurring your speech or finding you can’t communicate

• losing sight in one eye, as if a dark curtain has come down

• losing feeling on one side of your body

• losing muscle strength and feeling weak in one side of your body

• dizziness

• severe headache 

If you have any of these symptoms, seek medical attention straight away.

The narrowing or blockage is usually caused by fatty cholesterol deposits called plaque. This ‘furring’ of your arteries is called atherosclerosis.

We all have some narrowing in our arteries as we get older. But the main risk factors include some things you can change and some you can’t, such as:

• age

• a family history of atherosclerosis, stroke and heart disease.

• diabetes

• high blood pressure

• smoking

• eating food with high amounts of saturated fats

• not getting enough exercise

• being overweight or obese

• high cholesterol

Carotid artery stenosis may also be discovered during a health check – for example, if you’re at high risk, or if they’re checking for something else.

If the consultant listens to your carotid arteries and hears a whooshing sound (called a ‘carotid bruit’), you might then be referred for a scan  

Diagnosing your carotid artery stenosis usually involves an initial consultation where our heart health specialist will:  

1. Take a history to get a full understanding of your family history, health status.

2. Ask about your symptoms and how they affected you. They will want as much detail from you as possible because this can help narrow down the cause.

3. Do a physical examination.

4. Review any relevant scans and other previous information from your TA or stroke.

5. Talk through their initial findings and what will happen next.

They may also recommend artery and brain scans to check your arteries to see where and how much they are narrowed:

• carotid ultrasound

• CT angiography

• magnetic resonance angiography (MRA)

• cerebral angiography

You can help reduce your risk with some lifestyle factors by:

• quitting smoking if you smoke, because it clogs and narrows your arteries

• controlling any underlying health conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol or obesity

• eating a healthy, balanced diet low in saturated animal fats that increase cholesterol

• exercising regularly– being active helps reduce cholesterol levels, and encourages healthy blood sugar and blood pressure levels

• limiting your alcohol intake to 14 units a week

• maintaining at a healthy weight

A TIA or stroke is the main complication, and this in itself can cause long-term health issues, depending on the severity and the area of the brain where the stroke happens.

Once your carotid artery stenosis has been diagnosed, and your consultant is clear about the possible cause or causes, they’ll recommend the most appropriate next steps and will arrange treatment to ensure you make the best possible recovery.

Treatment options for carotid artery stenosis include:

• medication – such as antiplatelet medication, statins, and blood pressure treatments

• carotid artery stenting surgery – to open up the artery, and reduce the longer-term risk of stroke by allowing blood flow through

• carotid endarterectomy surgery (CEA) – to unblock the blocked artery, which is still the standard treatment

Our consultants have access to multidisciplinary teams who can be brought in to support your personalised carotid artery stenosis management plan.

At Welbeck, our heart health specialists are experts in their field and are dedicated to providing world-class care to every patient.

With access to colleagues across other specialties, our consultants are also able to refer within the Welbeck ecosystem if required to ensure you receive the treatment you need as quickly as possible, all under one roof.  

All appointments, testing, treatment, and follow-up appointments take place within our state-of-the-art facilities, enabling us to deliver accurate diagnostics and advanced treatments.

Your health is important to us, so we strive to offer same-day appointments whenever possible.

Our consultants are recognised by the major health insurance companies. If you have private health insurance, your treatment at Welbeck can begin once you have obtained authorisation. We also provide care to self-paying patients. Learn more about the different payment options at Welbeck.

Get in touch today to book an appointment.