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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffIn its early stages, carotid artery disease often doesn't produce any signs or symptoms. You and your doctor may not know you have carotid artery disease until it's serious enough to deprive your brain of blood, causing a stroke or TIA — an early warning sign of a future stroke.
Signs and symptoms of a stroke or TIA may include:
- Sudden numbness or weakness in the face or limbs, often on only one side of the body
- Trouble speaking and understanding
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Dizziness or loss of balance
- A sudden, severe headache with no known cause
When to see a doctor
Talk to your doctor if you have risk factors for carotid artery disease. Your doctor may do some tests to see what shape your arteries are in. Even if you don't have any signs or symptoms, your doctor may recommend aggressive management of your risk factors to protect you from stroke.
Seek emergency care if you experience any of the signs or symptoms of a transient ischemic attack or stroke.
Even if the signs and symptoms last only a short while — usually less than an hour but possibly longer — and then you feel normal, tell your doctor right away. What you may have experienced is a TIA, a temporary shortage of blood flow to a region of your brain. A TIA is an important sign that you're at high risk of having a full-blown stroke, so don't ignore it.
Seeing a doctor early increases your chances that carotid artery disease will be detected and treated before a disabling stroke occurs. It's also possible that a TIA can be due to lack of blood flow in other blood vessels. Your doctor will determine which testing is necessary.
Make sure your close friends and family know the signs and symptoms of stroke and understand that it's critical to act fast in the event of a possible stroke.
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- Carotid artery disease, stroke, transient ischemic attacks (TIAs). Society for Vascular Surgery. http://www.vascularweb.org/vascularhealth/Pages/carotid-artery-disease-,-stroke-,-transient-ischemic-attacks-(-tias-)-.aspx. Accessed June 24, 2011.
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- Furie KL, et al. Evaluation of carotid artery stenosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 24, 2011.
- 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 June 24, 2011.
- FDA expands approved use for carotid stent. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm254430.htm. Accessed June 24, 2011.
- Angioplasty and vascular stenting. Radiological Society of North America. http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=angioplasty. Accessed June 24, 2011.
- Healthy diet goals. American Heart Association. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyDietGoals/Healthy-Diet-Goals_UCM_310436_SubHomePage.jsp. Accessed June 28, 2011.
- Meissner I (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 6, 2011.
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