The carotid artery is the main blood vessel leading from the heart to the brain, and about 80% of the brain’s blood is supplied by the carotid artery. Carotid artery stenosis is a narrowing of the carotid lumen due to atheromatous plaque in the carotid artery, and some stenotic lesions may even progress to complete occlusive lesions. Ischemic stroke often causes disability or death, and carotid stenosis and ischemic stroke are very closely related. Common causes include reduced cerebral perfusion due to severe stenosis; dislodgement of atheromatous plaque in the carotid artery or dislodgement of microthrombi formed by plaque rupture, resulting in cerebral infarction. Studies have shown that about 1/3 of strokes are associated with obstructive lesions in the extracranial carotid arteries, especially carotid stenosis from various causes. In patients with carotid stenosis >75%, the likelihood of stroke is 10.5% within 1 year and 30%-75% within 5 years; in patients with carotid stenosis of 70%-90% and combined with cerebral ischemia, 26%-28% will have a stroke within 1 year. In the past, severe carotid stenosis was almost always found in patients over 50 years of age, but recently there are more and more patients in their 40s and even younger. It is generally believed that the rejuvenation of carotid stenosis is related to hypertension, diabetes, and the rejuvenation of atherosclerosis. Paying attention to the symptoms of carotid stenosis is crucial for early diagnosis and treatment as well as reducing the incidence of ischemic strokes. Due to insufficient blood supply to the brain caused by carotid stenosis, the early symptoms are mainly drowsiness, memory loss, and inability to concentrate at work. In severe cases, the symptoms of transient cerebral ischemia may include dizziness, transient loss of consciousness, and hemianopia, and recovery is usually possible within 24 hours. Regardless of the severity of symptoms, patients should go to the hospital promptly for treatment. Patients with hypertension and diabetes should have regular checkups at the hospital. Is there an easy way to detect and prevent cerebrovascular disease at an early stage? There is. In addition to the initial understanding of the causes of cerebrovascular disease and its risk factors, you should also pay attention to managing your blood pressure, controlling your cholesterol and LDL indicators, and then caring for your carotid arteries. According to clinical observation statistics, 3-5% of people over 45 years of age have carotid murmur, and it increases with age. About 70% of people who have this carotid murmur are going to have a stroke. How do you detect a problem with your carotid artery early? Put your hand on your neck and you can feel the pulsation of a blood vessel, which is basically the same as the rhythm of your heart. When the carotid artery is narrowed, blood flow through the narrowed area will produce a vortex, and the vibration of the vortex will make a ″rustling″ sound, which is the carotid murmur. Generally, the murmur can indicate that the stenosis is around 30%, but if the stenosis is too light or too heavy, no vortex will be generated, and therefore no murmur can be heard. Once the doctor hears this sound, he usually suggests the patient to do ultrasonography or cerebral angiography, and he can further do MRI angiography or high-speed spiral CT angiography to determine the degree of atherosclerosis. The treatment of carotid atherosclerosis depends mainly on the degree of stenosis of the carotid artery. If the stenosis is below 50% and there is no clinical symptom, it can be treated with lipid-lowering, antioxidant, calcium antagonist and antiplatelet drugs; if it exceeds 50%, other treatments, including carotid endarterectomy and carotid stenting, should be added regardless of whether there is clinical symptom or not. The following symptoms need to be concerned about your carotid artery: (1) small stroke symptoms (TIA): the most typical symptoms are: (1) often sudden onset of dizziness; (2) temporary darkness in one eye; (3) numbness and weakness in one arm and leg; (4) slurred speech, etc. This symptom may appear only for a few minutes or for several hours, but disappears completely within 24 hours, which is often called “mini-stroke” or “cerebrovascular spasm”. 2. Stroke: Patients may also experience prolonged or permanent neurological damage – stroke. 3. Cerebral ischemic symptoms: Some patients with severe carotid stenosis may exhibit cerebral ischemic symptoms such as dizziness, blurred vision, and memory loss. 4, no obvious symptoms: there are also many patients without obvious symptoms, but mostly over 50 years old, smoking, with hypertension, diabetes, atherosclerosis (such as coronary heart disease, limb ischemia, etc.).