Ultrasound can help prevent stroke

The use of the combined ultrasound method for asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis will allow for a timely detection of plaques and blood clots that contribute to the development of a stroke.

Carotid artery stenosis is the narrowing of the carotid artery due to the formation of plaques and blood clots that hamper blood supply to the brain. This pathology often causes a stroke.

In the course of research, scientists found that the use of the combined method, ultrasound and dopplerography, can promptly identify the danger and therefore help prevent stroke. In this case, ultrasound is used to assess the structure and quality of the plaque in the carotid artery, while dopplerography reveals small blood clots. Carotid artery stenosis can be asymptomatic for a long time and therefore it is rather difficult to detect the risk of apoplexy.

This diagnostic method, which involves the use of ultrasound and dopplerography, can determine not only the risk of stroke, but also predict the degree of its development. This method contributes to the timely diagnosis of patients who are subject to risk factors. In most cases, the course of the disease can be managed with use of various medications. However, a high degree of risk requires a timely surgical procedure - endarterectomy.  This operation involves surgical excision of the blocked artery with the blood clot (thrombus) in it or removal of the internal part of the artery wall that contains the clot.

The study involved 435 people with asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis. They had been under supervision for 2 years. Each patient regularly underwent ultrasound, which helped detect the development of blood clots and larger plaques in due time, leading to apoplexy. Initially, 38% of patients had abnormally large plaques, 17% had signs of blood clots, while 27% had both plaques and blood clots. In addition, 10 people suffered transient ischemic attack within 2 years. Using these methods, the scientists also found that for people with more fatty plaques the risk increases by 6 times. The risk for those who have both fatty plaques and blood clots increases by 10 times.

Thus, with this combined method doctors have managed not only to identify the degree of risk of getting a stroke, but also to thoroughly study the structure and sizes of blood clots and plaques in the artery.

Here you can also read other articles on this topic:

• Calcification as a risk factor for a stroke
• Stenting in the treatment of a stroke
• Rehabilitation of finger movements after a stroke

To receive professional advice on rehabilitation after a stroke in Germany
Please call us: +49 228 972 723 72
or write an Email here