How To Treat And Prevent Carotid Stenosis

Control Chronic Diseases

Chronic diseases that contribute to the development of carotid stenosis include diabetes, hypertension, and sleep apnea. Diabetes is a huge risk factor in the development of carotid stenosis because of the harsh effects high blood glucose has on the arterial walls. Carotid arteries can be significantly damaged and inflamed as a result of chronic high blood sugar. This happens in individuals who have diabetes but do not control it as they should with diet, exercise, and medications. In addition, hypertension is another chronic disease that causes mass damage to the arterial walls, and it should be managed by taking medication and eating a healthy diet. Sleep apnea happens when an individual stops breathing temporarily during their sleep at night. Because they stop breathing briefly, the brain does not get adequate blood flow, and the cardiovascular system attempts to compensate for that. This can cause plaques to break off and get stuck in the carotid arteries resulting in a stroke. Management of sleep apnea is imperative to stroke prevention in patients who have carotid stenosis. If it is just a mild case of carotid stenosis, keeping control of chronic diseases, and eating a healthy diet may be able to treat the condition without medical procedures.