Carotid artery disease

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Risk factors

By Mayo Clinic staff

Factors that stress your arteries and increase the risk of injury, buildup of plaques and disease include the following:

  • Aging. With age, your arteries become less elastic and more prone to injury.
  • High blood pressure. High blood pressure is an important risk factor for carotid artery disease. Excess pressure on the walls of your arteries can weaken them and leave them more vulnerable to damage.
  • Smoking. Nicotine can irritate the inner lining of your arteries. It also increases your heart rate and blood pressure.
  • Abnormal blood-fat levels. High levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol, and high levels of triglycerides, a blood fat, encourage the accumulation of plaques.
  • Diabetes. Diabetes affects not only your ability to handle glucose appropriately, but also your ability to process fats efficiently, placing you at greater risk of high blood pressure and atherosclerosis.
  • Obesity. Carrying excess pounds increases your chances of high blood pressure, atherosclerosis and diabetes.
  • Heredity. Having a family history of atherosclerosis or coronary artery disease increases your risk of developing these conditions, as well.
  • Physical inactivity. Lack of exercise contributes to a number of conditions, including high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity.

Often, these risk factors occur together, creating even greater risk than if they occur alone.

Complications Causes
References
  1. Lee JT, et al. Peripheral arterial disease. In: Rakel RE, et al. Conn's Current Therapy 2008. 60th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/151488178-7/866918859/1621/197.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-4435-2..50101-1_1467. Accessed July 23, 2009.
  2. Riles TS, et al. Cerebrovascular disease. In: Townsend CM, et al. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/151488178-3/866914256/1565/622.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-3675-3..50068-X--cesec4_3762. Accessed July 23, 2009.
  3. Schwartz JB, et al. Vascular disease. In: Libby P, et al., eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007.http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-4106-1..50078-9--cesec28&uniq=151488178&isbn=978-1-4160-4106-1&sid=866915121#lpState=open&lpTab=contentsTab&content=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-4106-1..50078-9--cesec95%3Bfrom%3Dtoc%3Btype%3DbookPage%3Bisbn%3D978-1-4160-4106-1. Accessed July 23, 2009.
  4. Carotid artery disease. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/catd/catd_whatis.html. Accessed July 23, 2009.
  5. Carotid artery disease, stroke, transient ischemic attacks (TIAs). Society for Vascular Surgery. http://www.vascularweb.org/patients/NorthPoint/Carotid_Artery_Disease.html. Accessed July 23, 2009.
  6. Furie KL, et al. Secondary prevention of stroke: Risk factor reduction. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 23, 2009.
  7. Angioplasty and vascular stenting. Radiological Society of North America. http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=angioplasty. Accessed Aug. 28, 2009.
  8. Questions and answers about carotid endarterectomy. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/stroke/carotid_endarterectomy_backgrounder.htm. Accessed Aug. 12, 2009.
  9. Greelish JP, et al. Carotid angioplasty and stenting. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 23, 2009.
  10. Greelish JP, et al. Carotid endarterectomy: Preoperative evaluation; surgical technique; and complications. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 23, 2009.
  11. Sodium. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4708. Accessed July 23, 2009.
  12. Stop smoking: Resources and tools for quitting. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3038010. Accessed July 23, 2009.
  13. Rundek T, et al. Risk factor management to prevent first stroke. Neurologic Clinics.2008;26:1007.

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Oct. 1, 2009

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