Carotid artery stenosis for screening for carotid artery stenosis depends on whether someone is experiencing symptoms arising from the stenosis or has risk factors for the development of carotid artery disease. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends against routine screening for carotid artery stenosis in those without symptoms. While routine population screening is not advised, the American Heart Association recommends screening for people who don’t have symptoms of carotid stenosis but have been diagnosed with related medical conditions or have risk factors for carotid artery disease. Screening is recommended for people who have: The American Heart Association also recommends screening if
Carotid body sustentacular supportive cells. The carotid body contains the most vascularized tissue in the human body . The thyroid gland is very vascular, but not quite as much as the carotid body. The carotid body functions as a sensor: it responds to a stimulus, primarily O partial pressure, which is detected by the type I (glomus) cells, and triggers an action potential through the afferent fibers of the glossopharyngeal nerve, which relays the information to the central nervous system. The carotid body chemoreceptors are primarily sensitive to decreases in the partial pressure of oxygen (P). This is in contrast to the