Carotid Artery SX Prevents Stroke
Today,
a person who experiences a stroke has a better chance than ever of
survival and recovery. But the person must seek immediate medical
help. Treatment and
recovery in the long-term involves the full cooperation of the
patient, often including changes in lifestyle.
Your best weapon in the fight against stroke is understanding
and early detection of your risk factors.
Learning that you are at risk for a stroke before it occurs can
encourage you to take steps to maintain your health and reduce your
risks. The main risk factors for stroke are high blood pressure,
elevated cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, and heart rhythm
disturbances.
Stroke affects more than
700,000 Americans each year and this is 40% higher than previously
thought. It is the third
leading cause of death in the United States among adults.
It is the leading cause of loss of independent living. Although there are two major categories of stroke, the most
common is an ischemic stroke which results in brain injury when the
blood flow to the brain is insufficient.
This can happen when one of the major arteries supplying the
brain becomes clogged or blocked with fatty build-up.
The largest arteries supplying the brain are the carotid
arteries. These arteries may become diseased with fatty build-up over
time that may result in severe narrowing or complete blockage of blood
flow to the brain. Small
pieces of the cholesterol material that blocks the blood flow may
break off and block smaller arteries in the eye or the brain resulting
in a mini stroke or a transient ischemic attack (TIA). Common symptoms
of a TIA include temporary loss of the ability to speak or understand
others, temporary loss or dimming of vision in one eye and temporary
paralysis or severe weakness in an arm or leg.
Often these symptoms resolve in less than ten minutes to an
hour. But even if all of
the symptoms resolve entirely, you must know that an event of this
type is a strong warning sign of an impending large stroke.
These symptoms can sometimes be vague and difficult to
recognize. If in doubt, see a physician at the nearest emergency
center.
Carotid endarterectomy, performed by neurosurgeons and vascular
surgeons, is a surgical procedure designed to prevent strokes. Since I
perform this operation, I can tell you first hand that it is effective
for patients who have high grade narrowing or “blockages” of the
carotid artery. This operation generally takes well less than two hours and
can be done under general or local anesthesia.
Although each individual is different, most patients spend only one or two days in the hospital.
Since the exposure of the artery for operation only requires a
skin incision, there is very little discomfort and the recovery period
is very short.
Your
heart contracts about 100,000 times each day re-circulating your blood
volume, a high proportion which goes to your brain.
The best way to assure this is to have your physician help you
identify and reduce your risk factors for carotid artery disease.
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