What is carotid artery stenosis?

Carotid artery stenosis is a vascular disease primarily characterized by narrowing of the carotid artery lumen due to plaque formation on its inner wall. The carotid artery is one of the major channels supplying blood to the brain; therefore, carotid stenosis may impair cerebral blood flow and cause a series of neurological symptoms and complications. This condition is mostly caused by pathological changes within the vascular lumen, with atherosclerosis being the most common cause. When blood lipid levels are elevated, abnormal lipid components deposit in the vessel wall, leading to intimal hyperplasia or even subintimal hemorrhage, thereby causing narrowing of the carotid artery lumen.

The pathological basis of carotid artery stenosis is usually atherosclerosis, a chronic inflammatory process involving lipid deposition, smooth muscle cell proliferation, and fibrous tissue formation, ultimately resulting in thickening of the vessel wall and narrowing of the lumen. In addition, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, smoking, and obesity are all risk factors for carotid artery stenosis.

Carotid artery stenosis has various causes. Besides atherosclerosis, it may also result from vascular wall lesions, radiation-induced vascular stenosis, or external compression of the carotid artery due to other factors. Because of the widespread prevalence of risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and smoking, the incidence of carotid artery stenosis is increasing, particularly among middle-aged and elderly individuals.