In this study, the authors examined relations between coronary and carotid atherosclerosis and between coronary atherosclerosis and silent cerebral infarc tion. They ascertained the risk factors for carotid atherosclerosis and silent cerebral infarction complicating coronary heart disease (CHD) in 77 Japanese subjects. As coronary atherosclerosis progressed, the carotid ultrasonographic score and the brain computed tomographic score increased. Multivariate analy ses showed that the significant and independent risk factors for carotid athero sclerosis in patients with CHD were age (p < 0.01) and apolipoprotein (apo) B (p < 0.05) and the factors for silent cerebral infarction were age (p < 0.05) and hypertension (p < 0.05).
Their study confirms a positive relation between coronary atherosclerosis and carotid atherosclerosis and between coronary atherosclerosis and silent ce rebral infarction in patients with CHD. Their data suggest that carotid athero sclerosis should be looked for in patients with CHD who are old and have a high value of apo B, and silent cerebral infarction should be looked for in those who are old and have hypertension, to prevent complicating symptomatic cerebral vascular disease (CVD). If severe carotid atherosclerosis or silent cerebral in farction are detected, antithrombotic medication should be given.
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