Carotid intima-media thickness and coronary artery Disease

Abstract

It is known from the post-mortem studies of accidental death that atherosclerotic process begins in childhood and gradually progresses over decades. Only when the process leads to flow limiting stenosis as a gradual narrowing or when a thrombus forms at a site of plaque due to rupture or erosion, then the clinical cardiovascular event is manifested. Although only a certain percentage of people with underlying atherosclerosis become manifest, the greater degree of subclinical atherosclerosis is associated with greater chance of future events. The event could be sudden cardiac death at its extreme. The ultrasound measurement of carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) has withstood test of time as an important technique of measuring atherosclerotic burden. It has been more than three decades to know the value of CIMT in the risk prediction.NepaleseHeart Journal 2018; 15(1): 9-15

Atheroprotective Effect of Solanum Betaceum on Rat Exposed to Cigarette Smoke

“…Increasing of cIMT is typically seen in a common carotid artery due to its flow dynamics, whereas plaques are particularly seen in the internal carotid artery or carotid bulbs. As found in the present studies, cIMT elevation is most often related vascular disorder due to smoke exposure [14,28].…”

“…This alteration of the endothelial function plays an important role in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis [14]. A published research on the topic has managed to prove the presence of foam cells in the blood vessels, from the tunica intima to the tunica media in the aorta of rats that have been exposed to cigarette smoke for 20-30 days [15].…”

“…A published research on the topic has managed to prove the presence of foam cells in the blood vessels, from the tunica intima to the tunica media in the aorta of rats that have been exposed to cigarette smoke for 20-30 days [15]. The early phase of atherosclerosis is alteration response of medial cells that can be assessed by carotid artery intima-media thickness (cIMT) measurement, and later stages are the generation of carotid plaques [14]. Measurement of the intima-media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery is an early morphological marker for the occurrence of atherosclerosis [5].…”

“…Measurement of the intima-media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery is an early morphological marker for the occurrence of atherosclerosis [5]. IMT is an indicator of atherosclerosis risk factors and the treatment given to reduce the influence of those risk factors [11,14,16].…”

Complementary Impact of Carotid Intima–Media Thickness With Plaque in Associations With Noncardiac Arterial Vascular Events

“…7 –13 However, some studies suggest that IMT is superior to plaque at predicting events. 14 –16 Thus, a better understanding of the role of IMT versus plaque in risk determination is required.…”