| Carotid Artery Disease |
| |
 |
During a comprehensive eye exam, your eye care practitioner may notice ocular signs prior to stroke/TIA. |
|
When people are warned that fatty foods and a lack of exercise can clog arteries, most immediately think of the arteries surrounding the heart. In fact, the human body is an intricate system of arteries and veins, shuttling blood to the tips of the toes and the top of the head – and they are all prone to damage from an unhealthy lifestyle. One such artery, which supplies blood to the head, brain, and eyes, is called the carotid artery. There are two carotid arteries in the body – one on each side of the neck (you can feel them pumping blood if you put your fingers on your neck “pulse”). The carotid arteries supply the areas of the brain where thinking, speech, personality and sensory and motor functions reside.
As we age, a natural plaque begins to form in our arteries, just as plaque forms on our teeth if we don’t brush them. This happens to everybody, but only escalates into carotid artery disease if the amount of plaque creates a loss of elasticity and hardens the arterial wall. As the plaque hardens, hard deposits form along the inner wall of the artery. These deposits are made up of calcium, cholesterol, or fatty tissue, and eventually may cause a blockage of the artery. Consequently, there is decreased blood flow to the brain. Another possibility with heavy plaque build-up is the potential for “debris”; some hardened pieces of plaque get knocked off the wall by flowing blood, and can lodge in the brain, triggering a stroke.
The following can increase the production of plaque along the arterial wall:
- family history of artery hardening (atherosclerosis)
- smoking
- high cholesterol
- high blood pressure
- diabetes
- obesity
- lack of exercise
Some cases of carotid artery disease are asymptomatic. In these instances, the only indicator will be a “bruit”, which is a turbulence-type noise in the neck (caused by plaque debris) that can be heard by your general practitioner using a stethoscope. In more severe cases of carotid artery disease, reduced blood flow to the brain may lead to warning signs of a stroke. A transient ischemic attack (also called a TIA or mini-stroke) acts as a warning signal to seek medical treatment. Symptoms can include:
- temporary vision loss in one eye lasting seconds to hours
- weakness, numbness on one side of the face, arm, or leg
- inability to speak, slurred speech
- loss of consciousness, coordination; dizziness
These symptoms may appear alone or in combination with one another, and they can vary in length from a few minutes to a few hours. A TIA is an emergency and requires immediate medical attention.
During a comprehensive eye exam, your eye care practitioner may notice many ocular signs prior to any stroke/TIA. These signs can include plaques in retinal blood vessels, leaking blood vessels, and retinal swelling.
Carotid artery disease is treated through lifestyle modifications, medication, and surgery. A combination of treatment options may be considered in order to minimize the risk of stroke. Patients are generally urged to make lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, getting regular exercise, and eating foods low in saturated fats. Blood thinning medications are often prescribed to decrease the risk of stroke due to blood clots. Surgery called carotid endarterectomy is considered in people with severe blockages in their carotid arteries. This procedure removes the plaque from inside the artery wall and restores the artery to normal. Newer surgery options include the placement of stents to expand the wall of the artery thereby improving blood flow.
|
| © Copyright www.eyeconx.com. 3ConX Corp. 2005 |
|
Send Article to a Friend
