The carotid arteries in the neck, if diseased, can release small pieces of debris or clot called emboli. These emboli can block small blood vessels in the brain and cause a stroke. Sometimes the emboli are so small and soft that they break up and are washed away. This results in temporary stroke-like symptoms that resolve in a few minutes to an hour. Severe high blood pressure and some heart conditions can also lead to a stroke.
Strokes are a leading cause of death and disability in people over the age of forty.
In this newsletter we will explore the symptoms of a stroke, who is at risk for a stroke, and what can be done to prevent a stroke. A bruit is a sound heard by listening over narrowed arteries with a stethoscope. The blood makes a rushing sound, called a bruit, as it to passes through the narrowed area. The presence of a bruit in the neck warrants further investigation. Most importantly, anyone who has had a stroke or a mini-stroke is at high risk for a future stroke if a narrowed carotid artery goes untreated.