Carotid Artery Problems: Stroke
The carotid arteries are large blood vessels that carry blood to the brain. When these arteries are healthy, the brain gets all the oxygen and nutrients it needs to function well. But if the carotid arteries are damaged, this can greatly increase your risk of a stroke. A stroke is a sudden loss of brain function caused by a lack of blood flow and oxygen.
How artery damage can lead to a stroke
A healthy carotid artery is smooth on the inside, like a tube. But health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking can damage the inside of the artery wall and make it rough. This lets fatty deposits called plaque build up on the artery wall. Blood clots called emboli may also form on the plaque. If pieces of plaque or emboli break off, they can flow in the blood and get stuck in a small blood vessel in the brain. This blocks the blood flow to a part of the brain, and causes a stroke.
Symptoms of a stroke
Below are common symptoms of a stroke. Call 911 right away if you have any of these symptoms. Fast medical treatment for a stroke is vital. The longer you wait to get help, the more damage a stroke can do.
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Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
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Sudden confusion or trouble speaking or understanding other people
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Sudden trouble seeing in 1 or both eyes
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Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance or coordination
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Sudden, severe headache with no known cause
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Sudden new seizures
Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a mini-stroke. It’s a warning sign that a larger stroke may happen in the near future. A TIA is when an artery to the brain is blocked for a brief time. This will cause symptoms just like those that happen with a stroke. But with a TIA, they last a short period of time, from a few seconds to a few hours. Never ignore any TIA or stroke symptoms. Call 911 right away.
B.E. F.A.S.T. Reminder for Stroke Signs
B.E.F.A.S.T. is an easy way to remember the warning signs of a stroke, and what to do if someone near you is experiencing them.
B.E. F.A.S.T. Stands for…
B – Balance
Is there a sudden difficulty with balance or coordination? Is walking or sitting difficult?
E – Eyes
Is there a sudden change in eyesight such as blurred vision, double vision, or a loss of vision in one or both eyes without pain?
F – Face
Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile.
A – Arm
Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S – Speech
Is speech slurred or difficult to understand? Are they unable to speak at all? Ask the person to repeat is simple sentence like “It is a bright and sunny day.”
T – Time to call 911!
If a person shows any of these symptoms, even if they go away, call 911 to get them to the hospital immediately. Time is very important. The sooner they get to the hospital, the more likely they are to receive stroke reversing and potentially life-saving treatment.