Clogged Arteries in the Neck

After decades of accumulating fatty deposits, including cholesterol, arteries in the neck can become clogged. Unless properly treated, this condition, known as carotid artery disease, may lead to stroke and death.

Significance

• Carotid artery disease, also referred to as carotid artery stenosis, may be simply defined as clogged arteries in the neck. "The narrowing of the carotid arteries is most commonly related to atherosclerosis, a build-up of plaque, which is a deposit of fatty substances and cholesterol," according to the University of Chicago Medical Center.

Danger

• This plaque hardens, blocks the arteries and limits the blood flow and oxygen to the brain. The result is often a stroke, a debilitating "brain attack" that is one of the major causes of disability in older people.

Signs

• Transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) are often the first indication of carotid stenosis and a warning that a major stroke may be forthcoming. Physicians at the Texas Heart Institute say, "TIAs are temporary episodes of headache, dizziness, tingling, numbness, blurred vision, confusion or paralysis."

Medication

• Aspirin therapy, usually for life, helps to reduce the risk of stroke in those suffering from clogged arteries in the neck. Clopidogrel, dipyridamole and warfarin help to thin the blood and minimize blood clots.

Treatment

• A carotid endarterectomy is the most common surgical procedure for treatment of this disease. "Carotid endarterectomy has proven to benefit patients with arteries stenosed (narrowed) by 70 percent or more," reports the American Heart Association.