The life expectancy of a person with a blocked carotid artery ranges from 14 years to 16 years.
However it also depends on how severe the blockage of the carotid artery is.
If you have 80 percent blockage than you may only live a few years without treatment and if you have 100 percent blockage then you will die within the same day without treatment.
Blocked carotid arteries can reduce the blood flow to your brain and lead to a stroke or other serious health issues including heart attack and death.
Without treatment for the blocked carotid artery your risk of stroke is as high as 26 percent each year.
The average age of blocked arteries in the carotid artery is 70 years old.
However some people start having blocked arteries in the carotid artery by 50 to 59 years of age.
Around 1 percent of people developed carotid artery stenosis by age 50 to 59.
Around 5 percent of people have significant plaque buildup in their carotid arteries by 65 to 69 years of age.
And around 10 percent of people age 80 to 89 have carotid artery stenosis.
You can live with a 70 % blocked carotid artery although it puts you at risk of a stroke and other complications.
If you do have a 70 % blocked carotid artery you should consider having surgery to clean out and remove the blockage.
If your carotid artery is blocked even more then it becomes more serious.
An 80% blockage in a carotid artery is considered very serious and severe as it puts you at a high risk of a stroke or transient ischemic attack also known as a mini stroke.
Symptoms of a Transient Ischemic Attack or stroke include sudden weakness or numbness in your arms, legs and face, difficulty speaking or understanding, dizziness, severe headache that starts suddenly and vision problems in one or both of your eyes.
If you experience any of the above symptoms you should call 911 or get to the emergency room quickly.
The new treatment for the carotid artery is a minimally invasive procedure called Transcarotid Artery Revascularization which can treat carotid artery disease.
To perform the Transcarotid Artery Revascularization a surgeon will make a small incision in your neck to reverse the blood flow in the blocked area.
A surgical balloon and stents are then used to reopen the artery.
Another treatment for carotid artery is a carotid endarterectomy which is a complex procedure that involves the removal of plaque also known as fatty deposits from your carotid artery.
The disadvantages of carotid endarterectomy include possible infection, nerve damage, bleeding at the incision site or into the brain, possible heart attack or stroke.
Carotid endarterectomy surgery can also stress your heart and so the doctors will monitor your heart rate and your blood pressure during the procedure and after during recovery.
In some cases carotid artery blockage can occur again and is called restenosis and requires further surgery in 2 to 4 percent of people.
The most common complication after a carotid endarterectomy is wound hematomas.
Wound hematomas are a collection of blood that occurs around the incision site in your neck where the surgery is performed.
The wound hematoma can occur due to bleeding after the carotid endarterectomy surgery.
Other possible complications after a carotid endarterectomy are cranial nerve damage, stroke, infection at the incision site, hyperfusion syndrome and heart attack.
To fully recover from a carotid endarterectomy takes around 3 weeks to 4 weeks.
The hospital stay after a carotid endarterectomy is around 48 hours although it can be as long as 3 days in some cases and possibly a day in the ICU.
You may also have some neck pain for around 2 weeks and have numbness along your jaw or near your earlobe that can last for 6 months to 12 months.
After the carotid endarterectomy you should also keep an eye on your incision and check it daily and keep the incision clean and dry and don't put any lotions on it.
You can shower or take baths as normal but don't soak the incision for the first 2 weeks.
You should also not drive until the incision has healed and can turn your head without discomfort and avoid physical activity for a few weeks including manual labor.
You don't always go to the ICU after carotid endarterectomy although it depends on your condition and health.
If you need close monitoring after the carotid endarterectomy you will go to the ICU such as if you have high blood pressure or experience any complications.
If your blood pressure, breathing and heart rate are normal then you often just go to a regular hospital room to recover and usually go home from the hospital within 48 hours.
The hospital stay for carotid endarterectomy is 1 to 2 days.
Most people that undergo carotid endarterectomy surgery go home within 48 hours after the procedure.
If you have any complications or other health issues you may need to stay a few days longer but many people go home within 48 hours or less.
Carotid endarterectomy is major surgery.
Carotid endarterectomy is a complex procedure that involves the removal of plaque also known as fatty deposits from your carotid artery.
The carotid artery supplies blood to your brain.
And the carotid endarterectomy surgery is performed under general anesthesia and you will need to stay in the hospital afterwards for a few days depending on how quickly you recover.
Carotid endarterectomy is a very safe procedure although it also carries some risks.
The 2 main risks that are associated with a carotid endarterectomy are stroke and death as a result of heart attack or the stroke.
The risk of a stroke after a carotid endarterectomy is around 2 percent and the risk of death after a carotid endarterectomy is less than 1 percent.
When having carotid endarterectomy surgery you will either be given a numbing medication or given general anesthesia that puts you to sleep.
The surgeon will then make a cut along the front of the neck and open up your carotid artery and remove the plaque deposits that are clogging the carotid artery.