title: [Prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risk reclassification by measure of carotid intima-media thickness in ambulatory hypertensive patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is considered a surrogate marker of subclinical atherosclerosis, with known value in risk stratification, its routine use in hypertensive patients is not recommended. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis through measurement of CIMT and its impact on reclassification of risk in hypertensive patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional study of 94 middle-aged (56.99±11.89 years) hypertensive outpatients without overt cardiovascular disease, 68.1% female. All participants underwent clinical examination, biochemical tests, echocardiogram and measurement of CIMT by high-resolution ultrasound.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although the majority of patients were stratified as low (63.5%) or intermediate risk (23%) according to their Framingham score, a high prevalence (75.3%) of increased CIMT was observed in the overall sample, including in the low (61%) and intermediate risk groups (93.8%). CIMT measurement resulted in risk reclassification of 70.31% of the patients, 61% of those at low risk being reclassified as intermediate risk and 93.8% of those at intermediate risk being reclassified as high risk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In these hypertensive outpatients, predominantly middle-aged and female, CIMT measurement revealed a high prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis and resulted in risk reclassification in the majority of cases.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Cardiologia do Hospital Universitário da Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, Brasil; Serviço de Cardiologia da Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil. Electronic address: franciscomonteirojr@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Francisco das Chagas
authors.initials: Fd
authors.lastname: Monteiro Júnior
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Cardiologia do Hospital Universitário da Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, Brasil.
authors.forename: Cacionor
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pereira da Cunha Júnior
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Cardiologia do Hospital Universitário da Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, Brasil.
authors.forename: Pedro Antônio
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Muniz Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Cardiologia do Hospital Universitário da Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, Brasil.
authors.forename: José Aldemir
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Teixeira Nunes
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Cardiologia do Hospital Universitário da Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, Brasil.
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lopes Brito
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Cardiologia do Hospital Universitário da Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, Brasil.
authors.forename: José Bonifácio
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Barbosa
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Cardiologia do Hospital Universitário da Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, Brasil.
authors.forename: Natália
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ribeiro Mandarino
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Cardiologia do Hospital Universitário da Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, Brasil.
authors.forename: Joyce
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Santos Lages
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Cardiologia do Hospital Universitário da Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, Brasil.
authors.forename: Natalino
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Salgado Filho
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Cardiologia da Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: Valter
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Correia de Lima
mesh_terms: D000553:Ambulatory Care; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment
keywords: Carotid intima-media thickness; Espessura íntimo-medial carotídea; Estratificação de risco; Hipertensão; Hypertension; Risk assessment