Carotid Artery Disease (cont.)

The risk factors for carotid artery disease are similar to those for other types of heart disease. They include:

• age
• smoking
• hypertension (high blood pressure) -- the most important treatable risk factor for stroke
• abnormal lipids or high cholesterol
• diet high in saturated fats
• insulin resistance
• diabetes
• obesity
• sedentary lifestyle
• family history of atherosclerosis, either coronary artery disease or carotid artery disease

Men under the age of 75 have a greater risk than women. Women have a greater risk over the age of 75. People who have coronary artery disease have an increased risk of developing carotid artery disease. Typically, the carotid arteries become diseased a few years later than the coronary arteries.

You may not have any symptoms of carotid artery disease. Plaque builds up in the carotid arteries over time with no warning signs until you have a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or a stroke.

Signs of a stroke may include:

• sudden loss of vision, blurred vision, or difficulty in seeing out of one or both eyes
• weakness, tingling, or numbness on one side of the face, one side of the body, or in one arm or leg
• sudden difficulty in walking, loss of balance, lack of coordination
• sudden dizziness and/or confusion
• difficulty speaking (called aphasia)
• confusion
• sudden severe headache
• problems with memory
• difficulty swallowing (called dysphagia)

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Source: MedicineNet.com
http://www.medicinenet.com/carotid_artery_disease/article.htm