What Causes Carotid Artery Disease?

The source for the disease…

Carotid artery disease is a common illness that is caused by atherosclerosis. That is the technical medical name for a build-up of plaque in your arteries. The same build-up can be found in the heart’s blood vessels when the doctor finds coronary artery disease.

Inside the plague are the following issues:

1. cholesterol
2. fat
3. cellular waste
4. proteins
5. calcium

What atherosclerosis does is create a build-up of plaque that narrows your arteries making them less flexible. This build-up limits blood flow to all your organs. There are other sources for carotid artery disease that also damage the arteries.

The possible sources for carotid artery disease

There are different health factors that can contribute to this disease and they are:

1. High blood pressure- this condition weakens the walls of your arteries making them vulnerable to damage
2. Cholesterol- a high cholesterol count also contributes to the build-up of plague
3. Diabetes- this illness can create a blood pressure problem which leads to the weakening of your artery walls.
4. Obesity- being overweight allows for type 2 diabetes to form as well as raises your blood pressure
5. Inactivity- the more you sit on the couch and void exercise, or other physical activities, the more the chance you will get diabetes type 2, obesity, and high blood pressure
6. Smoking- besides lung cancer, this activity will irritate your artery’s lining, as well as increase your heart rate
7. Old age- this is a risk you can’t do anything about. You will get older and so will your arteries. When you age, your arteries can become stiff, less flexible, and vulnerable to damage
8. Family history- inherited traits can cause atherosclerosis, which in turn can cause carotid artery disease

Know the symptoms of carotid artery disease

Like any other disease, there are warning signs that you have a problem. Carotid artery disease is no different, unfortunately, you may not get any early warning signs. These symptoms appear when your arteries are almost or are blocked.

When your arteries are nearly blocked (80%+), then you are at risk of having a mini or full stroke. Here are the symptoms you should watch out for and when you identify them call your doctor asap:

1. sudden weakness or numbing in the face, arms, or legs (one side of the body)
2. garbled speech or a lack of understanding when others speak
3. vision issues in one or both eyes
4. dizziness
5. one side of your face begins to droop

It is important to get medical help as quickly as possible when you discover you are experiencing these symptoms. Either call your doctor, 911, or go to the nearest emergency room to get help. These are signs of a medical emergency.