The carotid arteries are vessels that supply the organs of the neck and head, including the brain. They are branches of the aorta. Normally, their walls are smooth, without any formations that could disrupt normal blood flow.
A disease characterized by the deposition of plaques in the lumen of the carotid arteries is called atherosclerosis. These formations consist of cholesterol, calcium, lipids and connective fibers.
According to statistics, this pathology is observed in most cases in elderly people.
As a rule, the carotid arteries undergo calcification deposits when this process has long been formed in other large vessels. As the plaques grow, the normal blood supply to the brain is disrupted, which leads to the development of a number of serious diseases. Often this pathological process causes a stroke in the patient.
If the plaque breaks away from the wall of the carotid artery, it enters the bloodstream and is transferred to smaller vessels, which causes their blockage and also leads to the development of a stroke.
In the initial stages, atherosclerosis occurs without significant symptoms. Often, the diagnosis of this disease occurs when a stroke has already happened. However, there are a number of signs, paying attention to which, you will be able to notice the pathology in time and carry out drug therapy.
At an early stage, atherosclerosis is characterized by periodic transient ischemic attacks. Their duration can vary: from several minutes to 1 hour. At this time, the patient may feel tingling or itching in one half of the body, often such a symptom occurs in the upper or lower limb. There is also a feeling of numbness, weakness, indivisible speech, sometimes there is blindness in one eye and loss of control over a limb.
In some cases, manifestations of a transient attack can last up to 24 hours. Even if this condition occurs once, you should contact a specialist for diagnosis. Only in this way can the disease be identified in time and treated in order to prevent the development of more serious pathologies.
Note that in rare cases, similar symptoms can characterize the development of a stroke. So don’t hesitate to contact a medical facility.
The occurrence of atherosclerotic calcifications in the carotid arteries occurs for the same reasons as in other vessels.
Bad habits: drinking alcohol, smoking.
The carotid arteries are one of the largest vessels in the human body. They are responsible for supplying oxygen to many organs and systems of the body. It is through them that the brain receives oxygen. That is why disturbances in the work and structure of the carotid arteries inevitably affect the condition of the whole organism.
A fairly common disease is atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries. Let's take a closer look at this disease.
Atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries - damage to the ICA by cholesterol plaques. The vessels narrow significantly, their lumen decreases. Cholesterol plaques tend to constantly grow and increase in volume. The body is constantly experiencing oxygen starvation. With the development of atherosclerotic lesions of the carotid arteries, the patient’s condition only worsens.
Such formations are a consequence of the increased content in the patient’s plasma of substances such as low-density lipoproteins. In everyday life they are often called “bad” cholesterol. There are many reasons for the increase in the content of these substances.
Not many people know that there are several types of cholesterol. There are low and high density lipoproteins. How are they different?
Low-density lipoproteins, as mentioned above, in increased concentrations inevitably lead to damage to blood vessels. Of course, their maintenance in the body is necessary, but only within a certain norm.
High-density lipoproteins are vital substances. They are 50 percent protein and are involved in many metabolic processes. The main functions of high-density lipoproteins include the following:
But the increased content of such substances, as with “bad” cholesterol, leads to various diseases and disorders in the functioning of organs and tissues.
As mentioned above, the main reason for the development of a disease such as carotid atherosclerosis is the increased content of “bad” cholesterol in the patient’s body. But what causes this phenomenon?
There are several risk factors for the development of carotid artery lesions.
Atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries is a disease that occurs in a wide range of age groups. But for the most part it is typical for older people.
With age, arteries lose their elasticity. The life of pensioners is not so active. This leads to damage to blood vessels.
Excess weight leads to serious health problems. As a rule, they are closely related to the cardiovascular system. The enormous load on the heart and blood vessels leads to diseases such as arrhythmia, atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries, etc.
A fairly common illness is high blood pressure. Sometimes it does not cause any discomfort to the patient. But in any case, a number of serious changes occur in the body.
High blood pressure negatively affects the condition of blood vessels. They quickly become thin and worn out, making them more vulnerable to various diseases.
Diabetes mellitus is a disease that is accompanied by metabolic disorders. The body cannot process and remove excess cholesterol in its usual rhythm. This leads to the formation of cholesterol plaques in the vessels.
What is meant by the term “wrong lifestyle”? First of all, this is the presence of bad habits, lack of routine and regular physical activity, unbalanced nutrition.
Nicotine, alcohol and other harmful substances negatively affect the condition of blood vessels. Eating processed foods, fatty and highly salty foods increases the percentage of low-density lipoproteins in the body. The absence of a regime worsens immunity and slows down metabolic processes. Under the influence of these factors, diseases easily affect blood vessels.
It is very important to carefully monitor your health and promptly respond to any negative changes. The main symptoms of atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries are:
But sometimes the disease develops rapidly without any symptoms. This form is very dangerous. The patient learns about his diagnosis already in the later stages of the disease.
After detecting illness and the first symptoms of the disease, you must immediately seek qualified medical help. The first step towards getting rid of the disease is diagnosis. It is performed in several stages.
The first step, usual for every disease, is an initial appointment with a specialist. It is very important for further research and treatment. At this stage, all important information about the patient is collected: symptoms and complaints, the presence of diseases of the cardiovascular system and operations, heredity, etc.
At this stage, the patient simply needs to tell his doctor about his complaints as fully and in detail as possible. This will undoubtedly help with further diagnosis and treatment.
A doctor may perform the following procedures to make an initial diagnosis:
If at least one sign of the disease is confirmed, further diagnosis is necessary, which will give more accurate indications of the patient’s condition.
For this disease, the following types of instrumental diagnostics are most often used:
Ultrasound examination is a safe and effective method of instrumental diagnostics. He is able to give accurate readings about the degree of narrowing of the carotid arteries and the location of cholesterol plaques. This diagnostic method becomes a priority when the patient’s condition is unstable.
X-ray is a diagnostic method that involves injecting a contrast agent into the required area and creating an image. The image can accurately determine the thickness of the lumen of the vessels, the location of lesions, where the blood flow slows down, etc. But x-rays are not suitable for everyone. It cannot be done often, which is not always convenient.
Computed tomography is now used quite rarely due to a significant lag behind other instrumental diagnostic methods.
The biochemical blood test stands apart. It can be used to determine the level of substances in the body that lead to the formation of plaques.
Treatment of atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries is a complex and rather lengthy step in getting rid of this disease. Often it is not final, since it is followed by the process of recovery and rehabilitation of the patient.
There are several ways to treat this disease. They can be used either independently or together. Drawing up a treatment plan depends on the patient’s health condition and the stage of development of the disease.
Non-drug treatment is a mandatory step to get rid of atherosclerosis, which in most cases is additional. As an independent therapy, this method is used only in the early stages of the disease.
Diet, regular exercise, massages and exercise therapy are all included in non-drug treatment.
The main task of medications for this disease is to dilate the arteries and reduce the level of low-density lipoproteins in the blood.
This treatment method, unfortunately, will not be able to relieve the patient of existing health problems, but it can stop the process of increasing the number of plaques.
Surgery on the carotid artery for atherosclerosis is an extreme measure that is simply necessary if the patient’s condition sharply deteriorates.
A variety of operations can be performed to eliminate the problem: thrombolysis, prosthetics, laser exposure to the affected area, carotid endarterectomy and angioplasty, stenting, etc.
Atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries is a dangerous pathological disease of the paired large vessels of the head. These are the largest and most important vessels that provide blood supply to the brain and all its parts. The occurrence of atherosclerotic lesions of the carotid artery occurs as a result of fatty deposits on the inner surface of the vessel.
What is it - atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries, why does it appear, what are the symptoms and how to treat such a disease?
Atherosclerosis is a chronic disease of blood vessels that occurs due to fatty deposits on their inner surface. All deposits are formed in the form of cholesterol plaques, followed by sclerosis (overgrowth of connective tissues) and calcification.
As a result of such processes, the lumen of the vessel narrows, up to their complete blockage. Similar processes occur on the inner surface of the carotid arteries.
From the above we can conclude that atherosclerosis of the internal carotid arteries is a very dangerous disease. If a blockage of blood vessels occurs, blood will stop flowing to the brain, which can lead to ischemia, death of nerve tissue, stroke and death.
In some cases, it is possible not to block blood vessels, but to tear off a cholesterol plaque, which will follow the bloodstream to the brain. The consequences in this case are similar to the previous ones.
Today there is no single theory that would indicate a clear cause of the disease. On numerous websites you can see reasons such as age, smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, etc. In fact, these are not causes - they are risk factors that can worsen the disease.
Cholesterol plaques in the carotid artery are formed as a result of:
Despite the variety of theories, the most common cause in practice is a disorder of lipid metabolism, which results in an increase in the level of cholesterol in the blood, which negatively affects the condition of the inner walls of the carotid arteries.
The clinical picture determines the types of the disease. According to the codification according to ICD-10, it is customary to distinguish the following types (forms) of atherosclerotic lesions of the carotid arteries:
In most cases, treatment of plaques in the carotid artery involves an operation that will quickly and safely, with proper professionalism, get rid of atherosclerotic deposits.
The symptomatic picture of the disease has a complex morphology and is not expressed in the initial stages. As a rule, the patient suspects the presence of pathology after a number of the following symptoms:
Note that these symptoms may indicate other diseases - they are not “beacons” that indicate the presence of atherosclerosis of the carotid artery. Therefore, to clarify the final diagnosis, it is necessary to conduct appropriate research and undergo tests.
Diagnosis of the disease involves carrying out special procedures aimed at studying the condition of blood vessels and the performance of the brain. In addition to general tests, the patient must undergo angiography, MRI of the brain, ultrasound of the carotid artery, auscultation of the arteries, and CT. Based on the diagnostic results, the doctor will be able to determine the exact condition of the arteries and the stage of the disease, and based on the medical history, he will be able to prescribe one or another treatment method.
From the above we can conclude: treating plaques in the carotid artery with folk remedies is not only pointless, but also dangerous. This is a disease that cannot be eliminated with compresses, poultices or homemade tinctures. It also makes no sense to start such treatment - first you need to determine whether it exists, or whether the patient suffers from another disease.
Treatment of atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries is carried out as follows:
Note that the treatment of plaques in the carotid artery is carried out taking into account the elimination of the root cause of the appearance of such deposits on the vessels. If the plaques have been eliminated, but the cause of their appearance remains, then re-treatment will be required. That is why, even in the case of surgical intervention, special diets and physical therapy are prescribed as preventive measures.
One of the most dangerous pathologies of the vascular system is atherosclerosis, which occurs as a result of blockage of blood vessels. If cholesterol plaques form in the carotid artery, this is atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries. Blockage of these vessels, which pass through areas of the chest, neck, brain and supply blood to the human brain, can lead to severe damage to it and end in a stroke.
Why do atherosclerotic plaques appear in the carotid arteries? As a rule, an atherosclerotic plaque on the carotid artery forms after damage to other vessels of the body.
The cause of the formation of atherosclerotic plaques is considered to be:
Unfortunately, in the modern world too many people lead such a lifestyle, which explains the recent prevalence of this disease.
In addition, there is a part of the population in whom the risk of developing cholesterol plaques both in the carotid artery and in other vessels of the body increases. Let's list them:
A person who belongs to the risk group and at the same time leads a lifestyle that contributes to the occurrence of this disease must be observed by the attending physician, otherwise atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries may develop.
With atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries, its symptoms are initially invisible.
As a rule, the early stage of the disease is discovered by chance when some other pathology is diagnosed.
However, even at the onset of the disease, due to oxygen deficiency in the brain, the following symptoms occur:
If these symptoms occur, you must contact a medical facility.
With further development of the disease, the patency of the carotid arteries decreases even more, which leads to the so-called transient ischemic attack, the symptoms of which disappear after a day.
Its symptoms are as follows:
The appearance of at least one sign indicates an increased risk of developing ischemic stroke. It is necessary to urgently consult a doctor.
There are several types of this disease:
Diagnostic testing for this disease consists of the following:
The following methods are used in the treatment of atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries:
To prevent the development of the disease and complex surgical treatment of atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries, you must follow the following tips:
Following these preventative measures is not difficult, but it will prevent serious illness. And it is very important to immediately visit a specialist in a medical facility when you detect the first sign of atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries.
All experienced doctors know how to treat atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries. This is a pathology characterized by the deposition of atherogenic lipoproteins on the walls of arteries and the formation of dense plaques. The consequence of all this is a decrease in the lumen of blood vessels and impaired circulation. Atherosclerosis can cause stroke and other dangerous pathologies.
One of the largest vessels is the carotid artery. It begins in the chest cavity. This is a paired vessel. The left and right common carotid arteries are distinguished. They are divided into 2 branches. The internal and external carotid arteries supply blood to the brain, eyes, and other structures of the head. Atherosclerosis is a non-infectious chronic disease associated with impaired fat metabolism.
This pathology is a risk factor for the development of hypertension and acute cerebrovascular accident. Atherosclerosis can be local and systemic. In recent years, the number of patients has increased sharply. The reason is the wrong lifestyle. The risk group includes men over 45 years of age. Women get sick 3–4 times less often. This pathology occupies a leading position in the structure of causes of disability in the population. Today, the disease is often found in young people.
There are several causes of damage to the carotid arteries. The following factors are involved in the development of atherosclerosis:
Often this disease develops in people who eat poorly. Of greatest importance is the abuse of foods rich in animal lipids and simple carbohydrates. Fatty meats and fish, mayonnaise, chips, butter, sour cream, confectionery, baked goods, sandwiches and egg yolk have a negative effect on the condition of the carotid arteries. An excess of these products on the menu is a risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis.
Nicotine and tars contained in tobacco smoke have a negative effect on blood vessels. At an early age, atherosclerosis can be a consequence of physical inactivity. Young people move very little, preferring to drive a car and sit for a long time at the computer and TV. All this leads to obesity and metabolic disorders.
People who play sports are less likely to suffer from atherosclerosis. A risk factor is high blood pressure. It promotes damage to the arterial wall and facilitates the impregnation of the endothelium with fats. The incidence rate increases with age. The reason is the natural aging process of the body. The most important factors in the development of atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries are heredity, dyslipidemia and damage to the vascular wall.
The mechanism of formation of atherosclerotic plaques is very complex. There are 3 stages of development of this pathology. It is based on the deposition of atherogenic lipids on the inner lining of the carotid arteries. The latter include LDL and VLDL. High-density lipoproteins have a beneficial effect on blood vessels. When the ratio of LDL and HDL changes towards the former, fatty spots form on the walls.
Atherosclerosis develops. At stage 1, atherogenic lipoproteins are deposited. Damage to the arterial wall and a decrease in blood flow speed contribute to this. Lipid stains do not interfere with blood flow in the vessels. They are visible under a microscope. If treatment is not carried out, then stage 2 develops. It's called liposclerosis.
Connective tissue grows in areas where fat is deposited. Plaques begin to form. They are soft and dissolve well. At this stage there is a risk of developing fat embolism. The condition of the vascular wall also changes. It becomes less elastic. Various defects form, which further aggravates the situation.
Blood clots often form at this stage. Stage 3 of the disease is called atherocalcinosis. The changes become irreversible. Medicines can no longer dissolve plaques, as they become dense.
The reason is the deposition of calcium salts. Plaques increase in size, reducing the lumen of the carotid arteries. This leads to their narrowing. There is a risk of occlusion, which can cause ischemic stroke and blindness.
Signs of the disease do not appear immediately. The lipid stain stage can last for several years.
Symptoms appear with a significant (more than 50%) decrease in the lumen of the carotid arteries. The defeat can be unilateral or bilateral. The following manifestations of the disease are possible:
In the early stages of atherosclerosis of the internal carotid arteries, complaints are minor. Symptoms occur periodically. After rest, the condition improves. During the progression stage, symptoms intensify. Trembling in the limbs may occur. Speech is impaired. All these symptoms are caused by oxygen deficiency in the brain.
During the stage of decompensation, mnestic abilities (memory, thinking, ability to memorize) are impaired. Such people need care from loved ones. Atherosclerosis of blood vessels can cause paresis and paralysis. The risk of developing ischemic stroke increases. Transient ischemic attacks often develop. During the day the symptoms disappear. In their clinical picture, transient attacks resemble a stroke.
With atherosclerotic lesions of the carotid arteries, occlusion is possible. This is a dangerous condition, which is characterized by complete or partial blockage of the lumen of the vessels supplying the brain. More than 50% of cases of cerebral ischemia are caused by damage to the carotid arteries. As the lumen of blood vessels decreases, a lack of oxygen and nutrients occurs.
Often such people develop dyscirculatory encephalopathy. Its main features are:
In the later stages, intelligence decreases. Dementia often develops. Self-care skills are lost. Sick people become apathetic and indifferent to everything. Lost interest in hobbies. Walking slows down. At stage 3 of encephalopathy, against the background of atherosclerosis, symptoms of oral automatism, epileptic seizures, paresis, paralysis, dysfunction of the pelvic organs, dysarthria, pseudobulbar syndrome and tremor appear.
With the development of transient ischemic attacks, transient disorders occur. The following signs are possible:
Complete obstruction due to atherosclerotic lesions of the carotid artery develops in 1% of cases. With atherosclerosis, the following consequences are possible:
The prognosis worsens if the sick person is not treated in a timely manner.
For atherosclerosis, the following studies are required:
Additionally, the condition of the heart and coronary vessels is assessed. Patients should be treated after questioning and examination. The doctor should measure your blood pressure. For visual disturbances, an ophthalmological examination is required. Every therapist and neurologist knows how to treat atherosclerosis.
When thrombosis develops, antiplatelet agents and anticoagulants are prescribed. In atherosclerosis, it is important to normalize the lipid spectrum if the level of LDL, VLDL or triglycerides in the blood is elevated. For this, statins are prescribed. These include Aterostat, Liprimar, Torvacard, Atorvastatin-Teva, Atoris, Simvastatin Zentiva, Vasilip, Simvor, Pravastatin, Livazo, Rosucard, Tevastor, Roxera, Crestor, Holetar, Cardiostatin, Rovacor, Vero-Lovastatin and Lescol Forte.
Fibrates are prescribed less frequently. If atherosclerotic changes are detected, then you cannot do without a diet. You need to give up offal, sausages, sour cream, butter, fatty meat, mayonnaise, chips, canned food, egg yolk, sweets and lard. It is necessary to reduce the consumption of salt and baked goods. Antihypertensive drugs are often included in the treatment regimen for carotid artery atherosclerosis.
Patients are recommended to walk in the fresh air for at least 1–2 hours every day. Oxygen cocktails are useful. Treatment with folk remedies is possible, but it does not replace drug therapy. In severe cases, endarterectomy or endoscopic surgery is required.
Stenting and prosthetics are often performed. With complete occlusion, an anastomosis is created. Thus, damage to the carotid arteries is a serious pathology that can lead to acute cerebral ischemia.
Stenosis (or occlusion) of the carotid arteries refers to the gradual narrowing of the lumen of these large vessels, through which oxygenated blood is delivered from the heart to the brain. Typically, this condition is provoked by atherosclerosis of the neck vessels - a systemic disease, the main substrate of which is the formation of atheromatous plaque on the inner wall of the artery. The goal of treatment for this pathology is to reduce the likelihood of a stroke, which is achieved by controlling the size of the plaque or its complete surgical removal. Before you find out how atherosclerosis of the neck vessels is treated, the symptoms that occur with carotid artery stenosis, it is worth understanding the mechanism of occurrence ischemia (insufficient blood supply) to the brain.
Blood is delivered to the brain through two arteries: the carotid and vertebral (more precisely, four, each of them has its own pair). The common carotid (carotid) artery originates from the aortic arch in the chest and goes through the neck to the head. At the level of the larynx, it divides into the internal and external carotid arteries. The first supplies blood to the brain, the second - to the tissues of the neck, face, and scalp. In the area of bifurcation (site of division), atherosclerotic plaques most often form.
Atherosclerosis of the cervical vessels, as a local manifestation of a systemic disorder of cholesterol metabolism, is the main cause of stenosis of the carotid arteries. In normal condition, these vessels resemble a “flexible tube”, have smooth walls, and are elastic. With age, due to high blood pressure and damage, fat, cholesterol, calcium and connective tissue fibers can accumulate in their walls, and an atherosclerotic plaque is formed.
Gradually, the amount of these deposits increases, which leads to loss of elasticity (the ability to narrow and expand), narrowing of the lumen (the size of the internal diameter of the artery decreases) and, as a result, an obstacle to normal blood flow. Having reached certain critical values (usually more than 50%), stenosis leads to ischemia of the organ, a condition when the volume of blood supplied becomes insufficient for the normal functioning of the brain, and symptoms of the disease occur.
In most people diagnosed with cervical atherosclerosis, there are no symptoms of the disease until the lumen of the artery is reduced by half. Another option for the appearance of symptoms is the formation of a blood clot (thrombus) or the tearing off of a piece of plaque, which leads to blockage of a smaller vessel located in the brain.
As the name suggests, in this condition, the flow of blood into a certain area of the brain is temporarily stopped and then restored; permanent organic tissue damage does not occur. Acute symptoms:
They usually last a few minutes and then resolve completely and the person returns to normal life.
PNMK should not be ignored; This condition is a warning that the next ischemia (insufficient amount of blood) may result in irreversible brain damage.
Atherosclerosis is a systemic disease, the main cause of narrowing of the lumen of the carotid arteries, which affects not only these blood vessels. Typically, cholesterol deposits can be detected between 20 and 30 years of age, but its symptoms usually appear after 40.
Factors that contribute to the appearance of atherosclerosis:
In people who suffer from heart disease, atherosclerosis of the neck vessels is quite common. The carotid arteries, as a rule, are affected several years later than is observed in the vessels of the heart.
The initial stage is no different from the diagnostic process for any disease of the cardiovascular system. The doctor will ask the patient in detail about the symptoms, then ask:
Atherosclerosis of the cervical vessels is most often detected using:
The goal of treatment is to prevent a brain stroke. Which treatment option for carotid artery atherosclerosis the doctor will choose largely depends on the degree of narrowing:
Drug therapy is usually used in the absence of symptoms, or when the reduction in the lumen of the vessel does not exceed 50% (low degree of stenosis). Conservative therapy is also used in situations where there are indications for surgery, but the patient refuses surgery. The following drugs are used:
Surgical treatment is usually recommended for patients with moderate and high degrees of stenosis, as well as for those who have had one or more episodes of TIA (transient cerebrovascular accident). The main goal of surgery is to prevent stroke, which is achieved by removing plaques and increasing the lumen of the cervical vessel affected by atherosclerosis, which improves blood flow to the brain. Types of operations:
As a rule, doctors, depending on the risk factors that the patient has, ask him to:
It is important to remember that carotid artery stenosis is a progressive disease (the size of the plaque constantly increases). If left untreated, lumen size decreases by an average of 13% per year in symptomatic patients. This disease should not be ignored. Early treatment, as well as prevention, can prevent cerebral stroke!