====== Atherosclerotic carotid artery disease ======

Atherosclerotic [[plaque]]s begin to form in the [[carotid artery]] at 20 yrs of age. In the extracranial [[cerebral circulation]], plaques typically start on the back wall of the [[common carotid artery]] (CCA). As they enlarge, they encroach on the lumen of the [[ICA]]. Calcified hard plaques may not change with time.
The risk of [[stroke]] correlates with the degree of [[stenosis]] and with certain types of plaque morphology,
and is also increased in hypercoagulable states and with increased [[blood viscosity]].