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Carotid Artery Disease
Information for patients and families
Read this information to learn:
• what carotid artery disease is
• the warning signs
• how it’s treated
• how to reduce your risk
What is carotid artery disease?
Carotid arteries are the blood vessels that deliver blood through your neck
to your brain. Carotid artery disease happens when these arteries become blocked.
This reduces blood flow to your brain.
Please visit the UHN Patient Education website for more health information: www.uhnpatienteducation.ca
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This information is to be used for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional
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Author: Cindy Dickson, RN; Reviewed by Sue DeVries, ACNP
Created: 03/2009
Form: D-5601 (06/2014)
A build-up of plaque (materials that travel in your blood) in the artery walls cause
your arteries to narrow. This is also called hardening of the arteries. When this
narrowing is severe, it blocks blood flow to your brain. This can cause a stroke.
What are the warning signs of carotid artery disease?
You may have no symptoms for a long time. Transient ischemic attacks (also called
mini-strokes) can be symptoms of carotid artery disease. These attacks happen
when blood flow to a part of the brain stops for a short period of time.
Symptoms may only last a few seconds or a few minutes. They are often a warning
sign of a stroke so it’s important not to ignore them.
Call you doctor right away or go to the nearest emergency
department if you have these warning signs of stroke:
• you can’t see out of one eye
• blackness over the top half of your vision, like a curtain has been pulled
down. You can see the bottom half but not the top half in one eye.
• your arm, leg or face feels numb or weak (usually on one side of
your body)
• trouble speaking or understanding
• trouble swallowing
• a sudden and severe headache
• trouble walking or sudden loss of balance
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What is the treatment for this disease?
If you have symptoms, you may need surgery. If you don’t have symptoms, the
best treatment is to control the things that increase your risk of getting the disease.
What increases my risk of getting the disease?
• smoking
• high blood pressure
• high cholesterol
• diabetes
What can I do?
• Quit smoking.
Speak to your doctor if you are not able to quit on your own.
• Lower your high blood pressure.
Keep your blood pressure under control with medicine and changes to your
lifestyle like exercise and healthy eating.
• Lower your high cholesterol.
Keep your cholesterol under control with medicine and changes to your
lifestyle like exercise and healthy eating.
• Control your diabetes.
Check your blood sugar and work with your doctor to control your blood
sugar level.
• Take an anti-platelet medicine (Aspirin® or Plavix®) if your doctor
recommends or prescribes it.
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