Preventing Brain Attacks

If you’ve monitored your heart rate by placing your fingers on the blood vessel in your neck during an exercise session, you are familiar with the carotid artery. There is a carotid artery on each side of your neck, right next to the windpipe, and they are important lifelines - the passages through which blood flows from the heart to the brain. Without proper flow through these vessels, the brain is unable to function as it should.

A major barrier to proper blood flow anywhere in the body is atherosclerosis - hardening and narrowing of the arteries. When plaque forms in the coronary arteries, it compromises blood flowing to the heart and creates the risk of a heart attack. When blockages occur in the carotid arteries, it’s the brain that’s in danger of an attack.

Each year, approximately 250,000 strokes, also referred to as brain attacks, – one-third of the total number incurred - are a result of atherosclerosis of the carotid artery. “In a typical scenario, a blood clot breaks away from a plaque deposit in the carotid artery and travels to the brain, resulting in a life-threatening emergency,” James Powell, M.D., OLBH neurosurgeon, said.

Symptoms of a stroke include:

• Sudden loss of coordination and balance
• Difficulty speaking or understanding
• Full or partial loss of vision
• Loss of feeling or function in the face, arms, legs, or any part of the body -- particularly on one side only.
• Severe headache

Symptoms occurring for only a brief period - a few minutes or a few hours - usually signal a mini-stroke, which requires urgent medical attention.

Keeping Arteries Clear

Whether in the coronary, the carotid, or arteries in the lower part of the body, avoiding atherosclerosis is a lifelong process that involves eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and not smoking. “Individuals with high blood pressure and diabetes need to be particularly vigilant about keeping their medical condition under control,” Dr. Powell noted.

OLBH Vascular Center Can Help

Atherosclerosis can be detected early by a physician. Once detected, the next step may include an examination in the OLBH Vascular Center. Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital is the only hospital in Kentucky equipped with the most advanced system for examining and treating conditions of the arteries. The advanced outpatient center’s technology helps doctors actually see inside the blood vessels, virtually detect abnormalities, and repair some types of arterial damage, such as clogged arteries.

“If the carotid arteries are narrowed by less than 60 percent and the patient is not experiencing any symptoms, aggressive lifestyle changes may be recommended, along with medications,” Dr. Powell explained.

If you have been diagnosed with atherosclerosis or have a family history of the disease, please ask your doctor about the OLBH Vascular Center. If you do not have a family doctor, call the OLBH CareLine at (606) 833-CARE (2273) for a physician referral.