Carotid Artery (Carotid) Diseases

Diseases of the carotid artery, or as it is known among the people, is one of the important health problems in our country. The carotid artery is the main artery that carries blood to our brain. In some studies, the presence of carotid artery disease has been shown in almost one out of every four people over the age of 70. Among the most important risk factors are smoking, being over 70 years old, high cholesterol values, hypertension, diabetes and obesity. Since vascular diseases are common and systemic diseases, they may be associated with cardiovascular diseases and other arterial diseases. The disease has an insidious course, but its consequences are serious. It can lead to clinical conditions that may result in sudden blindness, temporary or permanent paralysis and even death in patients. Diagnosis: Ultrasound examination in patients with suspected disease is sufficient for diagnosis. If an intervention or operation other than drug therapy is required, tomography or angiography will guide the vascular surgeon. Treatment: The main approach in treatment is to minimize the risk of stroke. For this, periodic follow-ups by the vascular surgeon are important. In addition to various blood thinning treatments, blood pressure and blood sugar regulation are of great importance. In addition, cholesterol-lowering drugs should be added to the treatment with the recommendation of a doctor in these patients. In case of a high risk of stroke or stroke development, interventional or surgical methods deemed appropriate by the vascular surgeon can be applied. The interventional method is based on the detection of the area with severe stenosis by angiography and the removal of the stenosis by placing a stent there. Surgical treatment is based on the principle of opening the carotid vessel and completely removing the narrowing plaque. This procedure is called Carotid Endarterectomy.