It makes sense that the carotid arteries (one on each side of the neck), when blocked by fatty plaques or a blood clot, would lead to stroke. The carotids supply oxygen and glucose-rich blood to the front part of the brain, where thinking, speech, sensory and motor functions take place. Around 75% of all strokes are caused by atheroschlerosis, where blood is blocked from reaching the brain.

Carotid Artery Disease may have no symptoms, or individuals may notice fleeting events, like lapses in memory, dizziness, sudden headaches, blurred vision, numbness in the face, arm or leg (usually on one side of the body). Routine physical exams can be one step in stroke prevention, particularly for individuals with familial or other stroke risk factors, such as high blood pressure or diabetes.

Common medications* used for stroke treatment and prevention include:

*From www.strokecenter.org