Stroke secondary to carotid stenosis

Symptoms:

• weakness or total inability to move a body part
• numbness, loss of sensation
• tingling or other abnormal sensations
• decreased or lost vision (may be partial or temporary)
• language difficulties (aphasia)
• inability to recognize or identify sensory stimuli (agnosia)
• loss of memory
• vertigo (abnormal sensation of movement)
• loss of coordination
• swallowing difficulties
• personality changes
• mood and emotion changes
• urinary incontinence (lack of control over bladder)
• lack of control over the bowels
• consciousness changes:
  • sleepy
  • stuporous, somnolent, lethargic
  • comatose, unconscious

Signs and tests:

An examination may include neurologic, motor, and sensory examination to determine the specific neurologic deficits present, because they often correspond closely to the location of the injury to the brain. The examination may show emboli in the retina, changes in reflexes including abnormal reflexes or abnormal extent of "normal" reflexes, muscle weakness, decreased sensation, and other changes. A bruit, an abnormal sound heard with the stethoscope, may be heard over the carotid arteries of the neck.

Additional tests include:

• high serum lipids, especially triglycerides and cholesterol
• carotid artery stenosis or complete occlusion showing on
  • carotid or cerebral angiography
  • carotid Duplex/Doppler ultrasound