BruitsA bruit is the sound of blood flowing through a narrowed portion of an artery. The sound means that the blood flow may be partially blocked; artery blockage is most often due to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). A doctor can hear the sound by listening with a stethoscope placed over an artery, such as the carotid artery in the neck. Bruits in the carotid arteries may be a sign that a blood vessel is partially blocked, which may increase the person's risk for having a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke. Current as of:
September 21, 2016 Author:
Healthwise Staff Medical Review:
Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine & E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine & Martin J. Gabica, MD - Family Medicine & Robert A. Kloner, MD, PhD - Cardiology |
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