Symptoms of carotid disease
Atherosclerosis affecting the carotid arteries causing narrowing (stenosis) of the internal carotid artery. The plaque of atheroma may crack resulting in occlusion of the artery or the shedding of debris along the artery.
There are essentially 2 organs that can be deprived of blood (made ischaemic) by debris or blood clot moving along the bloodstream from the carotid artery. These are the brain and the eye.
Stroke
This is results from the death of brain tissue. It can be major, resulting in significant long-term problems with movement / feeling / speech, or minor such that most of the initial problems get better but not fully. Usually the carotid artery blocks completely or a very large piece of debris (atheroma) or clot is dislodged and travels to the brain.
Transient ischaemic attack (TIA)
This is also known as a 'mini-stroke'. The part of the brain affected by a stroke is involved but the effect is short-lived. Recovery is full and within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms because either the blood supply is temporarily blocked or only a very small part of the brain dies and the neighbouring parts soon take over. The patient may experience:
 |
weakness in an arm, leg or side of face; |
|
pins and needles or loss of feeling in the arm, leg or side of face; |
|
difficulty understanding speech ('receptive dysphasia') or problems talking such that words cannot be formed properly ('dysarthria') or the patient knows what they want to say but cannot produce the words ('expressive dysphasia'). |
Amaurosis fugax
This is blindness in one eye - usually temporary. The patient usually describes it as a curtain descending over their eye. Sometimes it is not noted unless the other eye is closed for some reason.