Charlottesville, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Catherine Hite, a nurse practitioner at the UVA Health cardiac surgery clinic, explained the risks of carotid artery disease. She stated, “Carotid artery disease occurs when there’s a narrowing or blockage in the carotid artery, these blockages are usually made out of fatty deposits called plaques.” These blockages can significantly increase the risk of stroke.

When discussing prevention, Hite emphasized lifestyle factors: “Age, smoking is a big risk factor, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and heart disease are all risk factors for carotid artery disease.” She also highlighted the importance of screenings like the carotid ultrasound, which can detect narrowing or plaque build-up in these arteries.

Hite shared crucial advice about stroke symptoms, promoting the FAST acronym. FAST stands for F is for face, ask the person to smile, A is for arms, ask the person to raise both arms and see if one drifts, S is for speech, ask the person to repeat a simple phrase, and T is for time, act quickly if any symptoms are present. “I like to tell patients that time is brain. So the sooner you’re able to kind of get help for that person, the better potential outcomes that they’ll have,” she said.

Listen here for the full conversation: