Symptoms & Signs
You may not have any symptoms.
You may have symptoms of a stroke or a transient ischemic attack (TIA). Some of these symptoms include:
- Weakness in one part of your body
- Blurred vision
- Confusion
- Loss of memory
- Problems with speech and language
- Loss of sensation
Diagnosis & Tests
Your health care provider will perform a physical exam. The health care provider may hear an abnormal sound called a bruit when using a stethoscope to listen to the blood flow in your neck.
A physical exam may also reveal clots in the blood vessels of the eye. If you have had a stroke or TIA, a neurological exam will reveal other problems.
The following tests may be done:
- Blood tests to check cholesterol and triglycerides
- Blood sugar (glucose) test
- Ultrasound of the carotid arteries (carotid duplex or doppler study) to see how well blood is flowing through the carotid artery
The following imaging tests may be used to examine the blood vessels in the neck and brain:
- Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA)
- Computerized tomographic angiography (CTA)
- Carotid or cerebral angiography
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Carotid artery disease : Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
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Carotid artery disease : Symptoms & Signs, Diagnosis & Tests
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Carotid artery disease : Treatment
Review Date : 7/28/2009 12:00:00 AM
Reviewed By : Daniel B. Hoch, PhD, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
