What Are the Treatments for Clogged Arteries in the Neck?

Carotid artery disease is the precise term for clogged arteries in the neck. It is also called carotid stenosis, a narrowing of the artery that supplies blood and oxygen from the heart to brain. Treatments range from lifestyle changes to surgery.

Identification

• Carotid stenosis typically occurs as a result of the condition known as atherosclerosis, an accumulation of fatty deposits lining the artery wall that hardens into a substance called plaque and clogs the carotid artery.

Treatments

• What are the treatments for clogged arteries in the neck? “In addition to treating atherosclerosis or other underlying disorders, lifestyle changes, medicines, percutaneous interventions, or surgery may be needed to offset the effects of carotid artery disease and lower the risk of stroke,” says The Texas Heart Institute.

Prevention/Solution

• Lifestyle changes include smoking cessation, increased exercise, and dietary changes to lower cholesterol intake and blood pressure. Medications to minimize cholesterol and reduce blood pressure, as well as to thin the blood will be prescribed.

Angioplasty

• Percutaneous intervention refers to minimally-invasive procedures such as angioplasty and stenting that unblock the artery and prop it open.

Surgery

• In extreme cases, a carotid endarterectomy will be necessary. “With blockages greater than 50 percent, surgery may be the best option,” according to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. “Carotid endarterectomy involves making an incision in the neck and microsurgically removing the plaque within the artery.”