Vascular age and carotid intima-media thickness

Abstract

Measurement of carotid intima-media thickness with B-mode ultrasound is a noninvasive and highly reproducible technique for detecting and quantifying subclinical atherosclerosis. Several large, prospective, epidemiologic studies have shown that this method accurately identifies prevalence and incidence of cardiovascular disease, independently of traditional risk factors. The value of this method is that it can be used to determine patients' vascular age. Measurement of carotid intima-media thickness reveals current atherosclerotic burden, it is feasible in a clinical setting and it can be integrated into coronary heart disease risk assessment models. Vascular age is substitution for chronological age and it is used in order to improve coronary heart disease risk prediction taking current carotid atherosclerotic burden into account.