title: [Carotid atherosclerotic alterations revealed at ultrasonographic examination in patients with coronary heart disease].
abstract: Carotid ultrasound examination is a noninvasive method with large indications in the evaluation of atherosclerotic lesions at cardiac patients. The aims of the study were: the ultrasound assessment of extra cranial carotid system at patients with coronary heart disease; relationship with the cardiovascular risk factors, lipid profile and echocardiographic data.
  
  
  METHODS
  There were studied 47 patients with coronary heart disease (angina, myocardial infarction, ischemic cardiomyopathy, CABG). The evaluation included cardiovascular risk factors, clinical examination, serum lipids and glucose, echocardiographic data. The ultrasound examination of the carotid arteries included the measurement of the diameter and intima-media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid arteries, the presence and location of atherosclerotic plaques and the presence and severity of carotid stenosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant increase of the diameter and IMT with age (p=0.009 respectively p=0.05). Males had a greater medium diameter than women (7.8 +/- 0.9 mm vs. 7.3 +/- 0.8 mm, p=0.04). There was no significant relationship between the cardiovascular risk factors (smoking, arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia) and IMT. The thickness of the interventricular septum (at the echocardiographic examination) correlated with the IMT (p=0.03). All the patients with myocardial infarction revealed carotid atherosclerotic plaques and most of the smokers had carotid plaques (88.9% vs. 44.8%, p=0.03). Patients with carotid plaques were older (60.9 +/- 10.1 vs. 54.8 +/- 6.1, p=0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of carotid atherosclerosis increases with age; the carotid diameter is greater at males and older patients; IMT is influenced mainly by age; carotid plaques are present mainly at older patients, at smokers and those with myocardial infarction and can be considered an additional risk factor for vascular
authors.affiliation: Universitatea de Medicină si Farmacie Gr.T. Popa Iaşi, Facultatea de Medicină, Clinica a VI-a Medicală, Spitalul Clinic de Recuperare Iaşi.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mitu
authors.forename: Magda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mitu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Turiceanu
authors.forename: Camelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tudorie
authors.forename: G I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Pandele
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012737:Sex Factors; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D008055:Lipids