Cerebral Vascular Disease    

The arteries carry blood from the heart to the brain through the carotid arteries. An interruption of the blood flow can be caused by atherosclerosis, bleeding into the brain, or a blood clot moving up to the brain. Cholesterol or fatty material called plaque is the most common cause of stroke. A bruit is a noise often heard over an artery, and may indicate a higher risk for stroke occurring.

Mini Strokes or Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIA) often warn of a stroke and are your signal to get to the doctor or emergency room as quickly as possible.

Signs of stroke (often lasting only a few minutes):
      Numbness or weakness of one side of the body
      Temporary loss of vision in one eye only
      Difficulty in speaking or reading written words
      Falling for no apparent reason
      Staggering or loss of balance for no reason
      Loss of memory for brief periods that cannot be recalled

Risk Factors for Stroke:
      High blood pressure
      High cholesterol
      Family history
      Tobacco abuse
      Heart disease
      Diabetes

Diagnosis of carotid artery disease can be done using ultrasound of the carotid arteries in the neck. Your physician can then advise you of treatment options.

A relatively new feature in the Vascular Lab is the use of Transcranial Doppler (TCD) in the detection of intracranial disease. This is disease in the arteries above the level of the mandible that cannot be seen with a conventional ultrasound.