How is carotid artery disease treated?
The goal of treatment is to lower your risk of a stroke. Treatment depends on whether you have symptoms and how narrow your arteries are. You probably will take medicine. You also will be encouraged to have a heart-healthy lifestyle. Some people also have a procedure to lower their risk.
Medicines
You may take aspirin or another medicine to prevent blood clots. You will likely also take medicine to lower cholesterol. You may also take medicine to help manage blood pressure.
Heart-healthy lifestyle
A heart-healthy lifestyle can help lower your risk of stroke.
- Don't smoke. Avoid secondhand smoke too.
- Eat heart-healthy foods.
- Be active. Ask your doctor what type of exercise is safe for you.
- Stay at a healthy weight. Lose weight if you need to.
- Manage other health problems, such as diabetes. If you think you may have a problem with alcohol or drug use, talk to your doctor.
- Get vaccinated against COVID-19, the flu, and pneumonia.
Regular ultrasounds
Your doctor may recommend regular ultrasounds. This is to see if the narrowing in your arteries is getting worse.
Surgery or stenting
Surgery in the arteries is called carotid endarterectomy. The doctor makes a cut in the neck and takes the plaque out of the artery.
Some people have a stent placed inside a carotid artery. A stent may be inserted during a catheter procedure. In this procedure, a doctor puts a thin tube, called a catheter, into a blood vessel in your groin or arm. The doctor threads the tube up to the carotid artery in the neck. The catheter is used to place the stent. In another type of procedure, a stent is placed in the artery through a cut in the neck.
Surgery and stenting may help lower your risk of a stroke. But they also have a risk of serious problems. You and your doctor can decide together if you want to have surgery or stenting.