Carotid atherosclerosis progresses slowly and is mostly asymptomatic in its early stages.
Gradual progression of carotid atherosclerosis will result in plaque, causing narrowing of the blood vessels or localised thrombosis, which can seriously affect the blood supply to the brain and cause non-specific symptoms such as dizziness and mild headache.
If the plaque ruptures and fragments fall off it can cause cerebrovascular accidents such as cerebral embolism and symptoms of stroke onset.