ABSTRACT
Among all the fatal diseases of the human body, circulatory disorders are still a major cause of death. The understanding of anatomy and physiology of an organic system depends much on the knowledge of blood flow through arteries. A systematic study on the rheological and hemodynamic properties of blood and blood flow could play a significant role in the basic understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of many cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and arterial diseases. It is well known that stenosis (narrowing in the local lumen in the artery) is responsible for many cardiovascular diseases. When the degree of narrowing becomes significant enough to impede the flow of blood from the left ventricle to the arteries, heart diseases develop. Although the exact mechanism of the formation of stenosis in a conclusive manner remains somewhat unclear from the standpoint of physiology and pathology, the abnormal deposition of various substances such as cholesterol, fat on the endothelium of the arterial wall, and proliferation of connective tissues accelerates the growth of the disease. Plaques are thereby formed and lead to serious circulatory disorders. Plaque forms when cholesterol, fat, and other substances build up in the inner lining of the artery. This process is called carotid circulatory disorders. It greatly disturbs the normal blood flow leading to malfunction of the hemodynamic system (the flow of blood) and cardiovascular system. Carotid artery stenosis is a major risk factor for ischemic stroke (most common form of stroke usually caused by blood-clot plugging an artery).
