By: Ryan Epp

As you age, your artery walls build up with plaque. Plaque is made up of cholesterol, calcium, and fibrous tissue. Atherosclerosis- your arteries narrow and stiffen. Some plaque deposits are soft and prone to cracking or forming roughened, irregular areas inside the artery. If this happens, your body will respond as if you were injured and send blood-clotting cells called platelets. If a large blood clot forms in the artery and blocks or stops blood and oxygen flow to your brain, causing a stroke.

Quit smoking Exercise regularly Eating a healthy diet Maintaining a healthy weight

May not cause symptoms in early stages. First sign could be a stroke. You may experience symptoms of a stroke called transient ischemic attacks (T.I.A.). Symptoms of a T.I.A. are: feeling weakness, numbness, or a tingling sensation on one side of your body, losing vision in one eye, being unable to speak clearly.

Doctors will listen for sounds of turbulent blood flow, if they suspect you do they will do a carotid duplex ultrasound

Surgery Angioplasty and Stenting Angioplasty and Stenting- minimally invasive procedures performed to improve blood flow in the body’s arteries

Occurs when the major arteries in your neck become narrowed or blocked Carotid arteries supply your brain with blood. They extend form your aorta. 1% of adults age 50 to 59 have significantly narrowed carotid arteries 10% of adults age 80 to 89 have carotid arteries.