Why screen the carotid arteries?
A. One of the common causes of stroke is a blockage in one of the carotid arteries in the front of the neck. The Cleveland Clinic, one of the world’s leading heart hospitals, describes it this way, “Like the blood vessels of the heart (coronary arteries), the carotid arteries also develop atherosclerosis, the build-up of fat and cholesterol deposits, called plaque, on the inside of the arteries. Over time, the build up narrows the artery, decreases blood flow to the brain and can lead to a stroke.” A stroke can also occur if a piece of the plaque breaks off and travels to the smaller arteries of the brain.
