What Causes Carotid Artery Disease?
Carotid artery disease appears to start when damage
occurs to the inner layers of the carotid arteries. Major factors that
contribute to damage include:
When damage occurs, your body starts a healing
process. The healing may cause plaque to build up where the arteries are
damaged.
Over time, the plaque may crack. Blood cells called
platelets stick to the injured lining of the artery and may clump together to
form blood clots.
The buildup of plaque or blood clots can severely
narrow or block the carotid arteries. This limits the flow of oxygen-rich blood
to your brain and can cause a
stroke.
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