Carotid Artery Stenosis

Carotid artery stenosis is a narrowing of the large arteries on both sides of the neck that supply blood to the head, face, and brain. This narrowing is usually the result of the accumulation of plaque material (atherosclerosis); which occurs universally in all areas where arteries have significant blood flow. Carotid artery narrowing usually develops years earlier than other types of heart disease, such as coronary artery stenosis or peripheral vascular disease (PVD). In some cases, carotid artery stenosis may have no symptoms for a long time.