The carotid arteries are the arteries of the neck and head. The usual cause of carotid artery narrowing is a cholesterol deposit at the beginning of the internal carotid artery. Blocked carotid arteries can cause stroke by restricting the flow of blood to the brain or by embolization (when a piece of the cholesterol breaks off and goes upstream to the brain). Surgery to clear the artery out and decrease the risk for future stroke is commonly performed by vascular surgeons.

Signs and symptoms of blocked carotid arteries:

• Sometimes the artery may be partially narrowed, and there may be no symptoms at all
• Significant narrowing may produce symptoms that last less then 24 hours and include:
  • Weakness or paralysis of the muscles of the face, arm or leg on one side
  • Slurred speech
  • Occasionally a shade-like blindness of one eye