Carotid arteries are blood vessels that deliver blood from the large vessels exiting the heart to the head and brain. Carotid arteries become blocked when plaques made of fatty deposits line the vessel walls and block the arteries, according to the Mayo Clinic. The process of carotid artery blockage, also known as atherosclerosis, occurs over many years and often goes unnoticed until the later stages. The danger of blocked carotid arteries is that the decreased blood flow to the brain can cause a stroke.
Antiplatelet Agents
Antiplatelet agents, such as aspirin, ticlopidine and clopidogrel, inhibit platelet function. The theory behind these medications is that they decrease the ability of the blood to coagulate at areas of carotid artery blockage. According to the Massachusetts General Hospital Handbook of Internal Medicine, the effects of these agents on platelets are irreversible, and they have been shown to significantly decrease mortality in people with blocked carotid arteries.
Warfarin
Warfarin is a blood thinner that prevents coagulation by inhibiting certain specific coagulation factors. While warfarin can reduce the risk of blood clots associated with blocked carotid arteries, it greatly inhibits the body's ability to prevent bleeding, according to Drugs.com. Physicians use warfarin in only specific cases of blocked carotid arteries due to the potential for nose bleeds and other dangerous bleeding episodes.
Surgery
Surgeons have a few options for ways to treat blocked carotid arteries. Carotid artery angioplasty and stenting provide the least invasive treatment options. According to the book "Surgery" by Josef Fischer, carotid endarterectomy, an operation in which the surgeon opens the carotid artery and directly corrects the narrowing, has proven to be more effective for people with severe carotid artery blockage.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Carotid Artery Disease
- Drugs.com: Warfarin
- "Surgery"; Josef Fischer; 2006
