Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine (1) if there were early signs of intimal/medial wall thickening (IMT) in a sample of persons age 25 years and older and (2) what health problems and health behaviors were significant to this formation. The study comprised 85 participants. A health history questionnaire was used to obtain information on respondents’ health problems and health behavior. The measurements obtained from a sonogram of the carotid artery walls were compared with health history. Logistic regression and odds ratios were calculated to determine the rate of IMT associated with health behavior and health-related problems. It was found that increasing age and any history of smoking seem to increase the risk of IMT. Hypertension was only marginally significant in this study sample. Screening for IMT formation may be useful in health behavior change approaches.

Keywords

intimal medial thickening atherosclerosis carotid arteries

References

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services : Healthy People 2010. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 2000.

Women’s Heart Foundation : Stroke facts. Accessed July 8, 2003, from http://www.womensheartfoundation.org/content/Stroke/stroke_facts.asp

American Stroke Association : Heart attack, stroke & cardiac arrest warning signs. Accessed July 16, 2003, from http://www.strokeassociation.org

American Heart Association : Heart disease and stroke statistics: 2003 update [Electronic version]. Dallas, TX: American Heart Association, 2002.

De Milto L : Atherosclerosis. In Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. Accessed June 23, 2003, from http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/g2601/0001/2601000160/print.jhtml

Rumwell C , McPharlin M : Vascular Technology. Pasadena, CA: Davies Publishing, 2000.

Ludwig M , Petzinger-Kruthoff A , Buquoy M , Stumpe K : Intima media thickness of the carotid arteries: early pointer to arteriosclerosis and therapeutic endpoint. Ultraschall Med 2003. Abstract accessed June 23, 2003, from PubMed Database.

Griffith R : Artery wall thickness and the risk of MI or stroke. Novartis Foundation for Gerontology. Accessed June 16, 2003, from http://www.HealthandAge.com

Markus R , Mack W , Azen S , Hodis H : Influence of lifestyle modification on atherosclerotic progression determined by ultrasonographic change in the common carotid intima-media thickness. Am J Clin Nutr 1997;65:1000-1004.

10.

Wallenfeldt K , Hulthe L , Bokemark J , Wikstrand J , Fagerberg B : Carotid and femoral atherosclerosis, cardiovascular risk factors and C-reactive protein in relation to smokeless tobacco use or smoking in 58-year-old men. J Intern Med 2001;250:492-501.

11.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention : Body mass index calculator. Accessed from http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/calc-bmi.htm

12.

De Michele M , Panico S , Iannuzzi A , et al : Association of obesity and central fat distribution with carotid artery wall thickening in middle-aged women. Stroke 2002;33:2923. Abstract accessed April 23, 2003, from http://stroke.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/33/12/2923

13.

Kallikazaros I , Tsiuofis C , Sideris S , Stefanadis C , Toutouzas P : Carotid artery disease as a marker for the presence of severe coronary artery disease in patients evaluated for chest pain. Stroke 1999;30:1002-1007.

14.

Howard G , Wagenknecht L , Burke G , et al : Cigarette smoking and progression of atherosclerosis. JAMA 1998;279:119-124. Accessed June 16, 2003, from http://jama.ama.org/cgi/content/full/279/2/119

15.

Werner R , Pearson T : What’s so passive about passive smoking? JAMA 1998;279:157-158. Accessed June 16, 2003, from http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/279/2/157

16.

Nagai Y , Kitagawa K , Masayasu M : Implication of earlier carotid atherosclerosis for stroke and its subtypes. Prev Cardiol 2003;6:99-103. Accessed July 9, 2003, from the Medscape database.

17.

Jacobowitz G , Rockman C , Gangne P , et al : A model for predicting occult carotid artery stenosis: screening is justified in a selected population. J Vasc Surg 2003;38:705-709.

18.

Tabet S , Berg AO , Atkins D : Screening for asymptomatic carotid stenosis. In Guide to Clinical Preventive Services: Report of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. 2nd ed. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins, 1996, pp 53-61.

19.

Society of Vascular Ultrasound : SVU defends screening position [Msg1]. Message posted to http://www.svunet.org/about/positions/postions.screening.defense.htm

The Thick and Thin of It: What the Carotid Artery Can Tell Us

Abstract

Keywords

References