SoutheastHEALTH doctor says this condition left untreated can be deadly

Saturday, February 27, 2021 ~ Updated 5:42 PM

The carotid arteries are blood vessel powerhouses that extend up through the neck, providing adequate blood to the brain. When these arteries become narrowed because of plaque buildup, there could be big trouble ahead.

"When we're born, there is no plaque in the carotid artery," says SoutheastHEALTH cardiovascular surgeon George Berberian, MD. "But over time, plaque builds up and that can lead to a stroke when tiny segments of plaque break off and travel to the brain, blocking essential blood flow."

The brain needs a constant supply of oxygen and even a brief pause in blood supply can cause problems, Dr. Berberian adds. The buildup of plaque in the carotid artery often goes unnoticed until symptoms develop. Risk factors for carotid artery disease include age, family history, race, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, obesity, a diet high in saturated fat and lack of exercise. "The No. 1 number one cause of carotid artery disease in this particular area of the country is smoking, which causes spasms of the artery along with plaque buildup."

Many of these risk factors are avoidable or manageable, Dr. Berberian notes. "Making people aware of these risk factors, encouraging them to make lifestyle changes and work with their health care providers to manage conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure goes a long way toward helping prevent serious problems."

Know the symptoms and treatment

It's important to know the symptoms of carotid artery disease and seek immediate medical attention if you experience one or more symptoms. Dr. Berberian says these include "transient blindness of one eye, a weakness of one arm or one leg as well as numbness of that arm and leg. Symptoms may also include garbled or slurred speech, which are also symptoms of an early or mini-stroke, also known as transient ischemic attack (TIA) that may progress to actual, potentially debilitating, stroke."

There are about 700,000 strokes in the U.S. every year, he notes. "Men are afflicted with carotid artery disease and stroke more frequently than women, but women have a longer lifetime risk of carotid artery disease and stroke because of their longer life expectancy."

Early diagnosis of carotid artery disease is important. "The Society for Vascular Surgery recommends screening with a carotid duplex ultrasound study for patients who are older than 55 and have cardiovascular risk factors. A carotid duplex ultrasound study can pick up severe plaque and we can intervene earlier so that the patient doesn't experience a mini-stroke or stroke," he says.

Severe carotid artery blockage, Dr. Berberian explains, "is greater than 70%. That is an indicator for treatment of the disease, which is generally carotid endarterectomy surgery. This is a one-hour operation where we make a small incision in the neck and remove plaque from the carotid artery. We also recommend medical treatment for patients with mild disease, less than 50% blockage."

Southeast's expert cardiovascular surgeons perform over 100 carotid endarterectomy surgeries annually with a high degree of success.

The most important thing to remember about carotid artery disease, Dr. Berberian says, "is early screening and detection can help prevent serious, potentially life-threatening problems later. Anyone over the age of 55 should have a carotid duplex ultrasound study."