Asymptomatic – may be discovered incidentally due to detection of bruit. There is no strong correlation between presence/absence of bruit and degree of carotid stenosis.
Symptomatic – patient present with symptoms such as TIA or CVA.
TIA is defined as an acute loss of focal cerebral or monocular visual loss (amaurosis fugax) with symptoms lasting less than 24 hours, and no apparent cause other than that of a vascular origin.
Stroke (CVA) from internal carotid artery disease results in anterior circulation infarcts. Such patients present with:
- hemisensory/motor deficit affecting face, arm and leg
- higher cortical dysfunction (dysphasia, visuospatial neglect)
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