Many patients with coronary artery disease also have carotid artery disease. This condition occurs when plaque buildup causes narrowing of the carotid arteries leading to the brain. Carotid artery disease is the main cause of stroke, which occurs in about 700,000 people each year in the United States.

Common warning signs of carotid artery disease include:

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side
• Sudden confusion or dizziness
• Sudden trouble speaking or understanding
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Sudden trouble walking, loss of balance or coordination
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause
• Sudden trouble swallowing

Michigan Heart Group’s board-certified vascular medicine specialists have the technology to accurately diagnose this disease, and you can take advantage of the most advanced treatment options in the area, delivered in a compassionate, patient-centered manner. Treatment options include:

• Stenting – Placement of a wire mesh tube to permanently prop open an artery during angioplasty, which improves blood flow and relieves pain in the affected area.
• Endarterectomy – A surgical procedure in which a doctor removes fatty deposits blocking one of the two carotid arteries, the main supply of blood for the brain. Carotid endarterectomy is performed to prevent stroke.

To schedule your appointment, call 248-267-5050 or request your appointment online.