Why Early Detection of Carotid Artery Narrowing Is Life-Saving

Here’s something most people don’t realize: you can have a serious blockage in your neck arteries and feel completely fine. No pain, no warning signs, nothing. Then one day, out of nowhere, a stroke happens. The good news? With the right treatment for carotid artery disease, most strokes can be prevented.

Stroke ranks as the fifth leading cause of death in America. The frustrating part? Many of these strokes didn’t have to happen. The real problem is that carotid artery disease sneaks up on you. It develops quietly over the years, choking off blood flow to your brain while you go about your daily life with no idea that anything is wrong.

That’s exactly why carotid artery screening matters so much. It catches these dangerous blockages early, when treatment actually works. 

What Is Carotid Artery Disease?

Think of your carotid arteries as two major highways running up both sides of your neck. They carry blood from your heart straight to your brain. When fatty deposits (plaque made of cholesterol, fat and calcium) start piling up inside these arteries, the passages get narrower. Less room means less blood flow. Doctors call this carotid artery stenosis.

Here’s the scary part: when your brain doesn’t get enough oxygen-rich blood, bad things can happen. A blood clot might form, or a chunk of plaque could break loose and block everything. Either way, you’re looking at a stroke.

Why Screening Matters

Here’s the thing about carotid artery disease: you won’t feel it developing. There’s no pain, no discomfort, nothing to tip you off. According to the CDC, about 80% of strokes could actually be prevented with the right screening and care. But here’s the catch: the main culprits behind strokes, including carotid disease, show zero symptoms in 80% of people until it’s too late.

Getting screened early helps you:

• Catch problems before you have any symptoms
• Start treatment when it’s easiest and most effective
• Keep tabs on whether things are getting worse
• Cut your stroke risk by up to 80% with the right treatment

Think of it this way: finding out early means you can do something about it. Finding out late means you’re already dealing with a stroke.

Who Needs Carotid Artery Screening?

Not everyone needs screening, but you should talk to a vascular specialist if you have:

• Age over 55 with heart disease risk factors
• Current or past smoking history
• High blood pressure or high cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Previous stroke or mini-stroke (TIA)
• Peripheral artery disease
• Family history of stroke
• Abnormal sound in your neck arteries (carotid bruit)

Women face unique considerations. According to one review, the lifetime risk of stroke is approximately 20%–21% in women and 14%–17% in men among middle-aged adults, highlighting the importance of proactive screening, particularly for women with additional risk factors (source).

How Carotid Screening Works

Good news: the screening itself is actually pretty easy. We use something called a carotid duplex ultrasound. The whole thing takes about 30 to 45 minutes and honestly, it’s one of the most comfortable medical tests you’ll ever have.

Here’s what happens:

1. You lie back and relax while a technician puts some gel on your neck
2. They move a small handheld device across your skin (it’s called a transducer, but it just looks like a wand)
3. That device uses sound waves to take pictures of your arteries and check how blood is flowing
4. Your doctor looks at the results and talks them through with you

No needles. radiations or discomfort. And when it’s done, you just wipe off the gel and get on with your day. Can’t beat that.

Treatment Options Based on Severity

So what happens if screening shows you’ve got some narrowing? The good news is there are several ways to fix it and prevent a stroke. What you need depends on how bad the blockage is and whether you’ve had any symptoms.

Mild to Moderate Narrowing (Under 50%)

If your blockage isn’t too severe, medical management usually does the trick:

Lifestyle Changes:

• Quit smoking (yeah, we know it’s tough, but it makes a huge difference)
• Clean up your diet with more heart-healthy foods
• Get moving with regular exercise
• Drop some pounds if you need to

Medications:

• Blood thinners to stop clots from forming
• Statins to bring down cholesterol
• Blood pressure meds to protect your arteries
• Diabetes medications if that’s part of the picture

These steps slow things down and sometimes even stop the disease from getting worse. Plus, you’re helping your whole cardiovascular system, not just your carotid arteries.

Severe Narrowing (Over 70%)

When blockages get serious or you’ve already had stroke symptoms, surgery becomes the answer.

Carotid Endarterectomy

This is the tried-and-true surgical fix. Vascular Surgeons make a small cut in your neck, open up the artery and physically remove all that built-up plaque. The whole procedure takes about two hours, you stay overnight in the hospital and most people are back to normal within a few weeks.

The results speak for themselves: studies show this surgery can slash your stroke risk by up to 80% compared to just taking medication for severe narrowing.

Carotid Artery Stenting

Some people can’t have traditional surgery for various health reasons. That’s where stenting comes in. A thin tube goes through a blood vessel in your groin, travels up to the blocked artery in your neck and places a stent (basically a tiny mesh tube) that holds the artery open. You’re usually out of the hospital the next day and recovery happens faster than with surgery.

TransCarotid Artery Revascularization (TCAR)

This is the newest technique we offer and it combines the best parts of surgery and stenting. The doctor reaches your artery through a small cut above your collarbone. What makes TCAR special? During the procedure, your blood flow temporarily runs backward, which prevents any loose plaque from floating up to your brain. It’s the safest option during the actual procedure.

We’ve got all these treatment options available right here at Prime Vascular Care.

What Happens After Treatment

Getting treatment isn’t a one-and-done deal. You’ll need regular check-ins to make sure everything stays healthy.

Your follow-up plan includes:

• Regular ultrasounds to make sure your arteries are doing well
• Tweaking medications as needed
• Help with sticking to lifestyle changes
• Watching for any new warning signs
• Checking other arteries for blockages

Contact Prime Vascular Care If You Need Help!

Our board-certified vascular surgeons really have done hundreds of these procedures, from the minimally invasive stuff to complex surgeries that need expert hands.

Here’s what you get:

• Top-notch ultrasound equipment for accurate diagnosis
• Every treatment option is available right here, no running around to different places
• A personalized plan built around your specific situation
• We work directly with your primary care doctor
• Same-day appointments when we can make it happen

We take all major insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid. No surprises there.