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Treating Carotid Artery Disease

When you’re a patient at Providence, we help you feel better today and reduce your risk of more serious disease tomorrow. We work with you to create a personalized plan to treat your carotid artery disease. This plan includes everything from diagnosis and treatment to the post-care support you need to feel your best. The result is compassionate, whole-person care for your body, mind and spirit.

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Why Choose Us for Your Carotid Artery Disease Care?

At Providence, we see the life in you. We are committed to making a positive difference in every life we touch.

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Our patients are at the heart of everything we do, which is why we’re always looking for ways to make your experience better. We go beyond conventional medical care when we think a holistic treatment will help improve your well-being. For example, your doctor might recommend a specialized diet that studies show reverses the effects of arteriosclerosis, which is the most common cause of carotid artery disease.

Our improved referral process makes it easier for patients to stay with Providence, the network they trust. We’ve also introduced a program to help patients get faster care through virtual visits with a nurse practitioner. This patient-centered approach is why patients have trusted Providence with their carotid artery disease care for more than 60 years.

We take a team-based approach to treating your carotid artery disease. Why? Because we know this leads to the best results. Every Providence patient has access to world-class care from leaders in the field. Your multidisciplinary care team includes board-certified heart care specialists with expertise treating the most complex conditions. Your heart care team also works closely with dietitians to help you make heart-healthy food choices, physical therapists to help you keep living life to its fullest and nurse navigators to coordinate your care with your primary care physician.

We understand that the impact of heart disease is greater in marginalized communities. Genetics plays a part, but unequal access to great health care is also a factor. At Providence, we value, respect and support the racial, ethnic, religious, gender, sexual and spiritual identities of all our patients. We are deeply committed to making sure everyone in our diverse communities has equal access to the best heart care. To do this, we offer location-specific services that help meet our patients’ needs. This includes translation for non-English-speaking patients, telehealth and transportation assistance. And we never turn a patient away, regardless of their ability to pay. Instead, we work harder to make sure every patient is treated equally and with dignity – whoever you are, and wherever you’re at.

As a patient at Providence, you belong to one of the largest community-based networks for heart care in the United States. This means your local care team shares knowledge and experience with other specialists across 51 hospitals in seven states. If specialty care is needed, your heart care team can easily reach the physicians with the most expertise. Take the story of our heart disease patient Donny Jones. When his lifelong heart condition became worse, his Providence cardiologist reached out to the location where he could get the advanced treatment he needed. Then he was back home just a few days later. The power of our network is one of the reasons more than 400,000 heart patients choose Providence each year.

Providence is well known for offering options – and hope – to patients seeking the most advanced therapies to treat carotid artery disease. We participate in national and international data registries that track cardiovascular outcomes, including the national vascular quality index (VQI) database for carotid intervention. This helps us learn more to continually improve our care for you. Our doctors and scientists also support groundbreaking research projects. Our leadership helps us provide better heart care – and a better life – for you and your loved ones.

More About Carotid Artery Disease

Carotid artery disease (also known as carotid artery stenosis) occurs when the carotid arteries, which carry blood and oxygen to the brain, become narrowed. If the carotid arteries become blocked, this can cause vertigo, vision loss, cognitive impairment or a stroke. Though any of these symptoms should be taken seriously, each of them can have other causes not related to heart health. Carotid artery disease is most commonly caused by atherosclerosis, a type of arteriosclerosis that occurs when fats and cholesterol build up in the artery wall, causing plaque.

Testing and Diagnostics

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Your care team uses many different methods to find out which therapies work best for you. They look at your symptoms, other medical conditions and overall health. They use the most advanced diagnostics to evaluate your condition. Depending on your case, this may include one or more of the following:

Personalized Treatment for Carotid Artery Disease

We know that no two patients are the same. This is why your care team works with you to design an individualized treatment plan based specifically on your heart condition and your personal needs. Every treatment plan includes lifestyle changes to support your recovery and long-term heart health.

Your care plan may include one or more of the following therapies:

  • Carotid endarterectomy
  • Carotid stenting
  • Prescription medications
  • Transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR)

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Patient Stories

When Donny Jones’s lifelong heart condition worsened, his Providence cardiologist reached out to the location where he could get the highly advanced treatment he needed. He was home just a few days later.

Read Donny's Story

Meet the Team

At Providence, you'll have access to a vast network of dedicated and compassionate providers who offer personalized care by focusing on treatment, prevention and health education.

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Patient Stories and Expert Tips for a Healthy Heart

Synergy at the Advanced Care Center
4/8/2024
With five specialty practices under one roof, patients experience optimal care with maximum convenience at the Providence Advanced Care Center.
Talking to an expert: The crucial role of nutrition in cancer care
3/19/2024
In honor of National Nutrition Month® Alyssa George, MA, RDN, program manager at Oncology Nutrition, Providence Cancer Institute, talks about the important connection between cancer and nutrition.
Healthy eating tips for older adults
3/20/2024
Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet is important as we get older. Providence Swedish Dietitian Meghann Karch has tips on how to eat healthy as you age.
Providence Medical Group opens vascular clinic in Aberdeen
2/29/2024
The Providence Medical Group (PMG) opened a vascular surgery and vein clinic in Aberdeen in December 2023 to better meet the needs of the Grays Harbor community.