Receive Expert Care for Carotid Artery Disease

Understanding Carotid Artery Disease

One of the greatest gifts South Miami Heart Center shares with our community is the gift of knowledge. By understanding diseases such as carotid artery disease, you can extend the length and quality of your life. This Web page provides an overview of carotid artery disease—its causes, risk factors, symptoms and treatments.

About Carotid Artery Disease

The carotid arteries branch off from the aorta (your body’s largest artery) and are located on either side of your neck. To locate your carotid arteries, touch either side of your neck and feel for a pulse; this is blood flowing through your carotid artery.

These main blood vessels perform a critical function—they carry oxygenated blood to your brain. When they become narrowed or blocked, this is a symptom of developing carotid artery disease or carotid artery stenosis. Narrowing usually occurs when plaque (cholesterol, fatty substances, cellular waste, calcium or protein) builds up in the artery. This “hardening of the arteries,” or atherosclerosis is considered a vascular disease. Left undiagnosed and/or untreated, it can lead to a stroke.

Dangers Associated with Carotid Artery Disease

Your brain requires a continuous supply of oxygen to function properly. Carotid artery disease jeopardizes this function by restricting the flow of oxygen and nutrients to your brain. If your arteries narrow to the point where blood flow is restricted or a piece of plaque breaks loose and obstructs blood flow, you could have a stroke. Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States.

Are You at Risk?

To evaluate if you are at risk for carotid artery disease, review the following factors:

• Aging
• Males have higher risk
• Family history
• Genetics
• Elevated fats in the blood
• High blood pressure
• Smoking
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Diet high in saturated fat
• Lack of exercise

Take Heart: Providing Quality Care with Experience

Since we established South Miami Heart Center in 2003, the Center has evolved into an excellent diagnostic and treatment facility for cardiovascular heart disease. Our Vascular Screening Program offers simple, painless tests to detect potentially life-threatening conditions such as carotid artery disease.

Our dedication to prevention, education and research allows us to offer innovative procedures and techniques. This gives our patients a lifesaving edge over carotid artery disease.

Treatments

Diagnosis is the first step to treating carotid artery disease. South Miami Heart Center offers two diagnostic tests for carotid artery disease:

• Ultrasound or carotid Doppler – Measures rate of blood flow using sound waves.
• Cerebral angiography – Uses contrast material injected into an artery (usually in the groin) to make head and neck vessels visible in an X-ray. Pictures are taken and the amount of narrowing is measured.

If you are diagnosed with carotid artery disease, you can feel confident that South Miami Heart Center has the experts, capabilities and technologies to help you treat the condition. Our accomplished and caring specialists offer two widely accepted treatment methods:

• Carotid endarterectomy (CEA)

  CEA is performed through a neck incision while the patient is under local or general anesthesia. After exposing the carotid artery, the vascular surgeon temporarily clamps the artery to stop blood flow. Sometimes a shunt is inserted to detour blood around the artery. After stopping blood flow, the surgeon “peels” plaque from the artery. During the procedure, your brain receives blood from the carotid artery on the other side of your neck. After removing the plaque, the surgeon stitches the artery closed, unclamps the artery and removes excess blood. CEA has been used for 40 years.

• Carotid artery stenting (CAS)

  CAS is performed by a vascular surgeon, interventional radiologist, or interventional cardiologist, who threads a catheter through a blood vessel in the groin to the carotid arteries. Once the catheter is in place, a removable protection device resembling a tiny umbrella is placed inside the artery to capture any plaque that could loosen and cause a stroke. Next, a mesh-like metal device called a stent is placed in the narrowed portion of the artery to keep it open. The stent restores blood flow to the brain. The minimally invasive procedure is performed while the patient is under local anesthesia. CAS offers high-risk patients an alternative to surgery.

Physician Referral

Get an online referral to a South Miami Heart Center physician or call the South Miami Heart Center Physician Referral line at 786-662-2222.