Carotid artery wall alterations as intermediate end points.
- 1 January 1999
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Taylor & Francis in Clinical and Experimental Hypertension
- Vol. 21 (5) , 595-607
- https://doi.org/10.3109/10641969909060992
Abstract
Carotid artery wall alterations can now be measured in a quantitative, well reproducible way by B-mode ultrasound. The thickness of the intima-media complex (IMT) is commonly measured at three levels along the carotid tree. Well standardized protocols to use in randomized prospective trials are available. It is argued that IMT measurements can be used as intermediate end points of antihypertensive treatment trials as 1) IMT alterations are frequent in hypertension and closely correlated to systolic and pulse pressures; 2) IMT alterations are predictive of an increased risk of cardiovascular events; 3) changes in IMT occur during antihypertensive treatment; 4) at least one study has shown differential effects of different antihypertensive agents on IMT (VHAS: verapamil better than chlorthalidone); 5) in this study a greater effect on IMT has been accompanied by a reduced cardiovascular event rates. Larger studies are desirable to confirm these conclusions.Keywords
This publication has 22 references indexed in Scilit:
- The Verapamil in Hypertension and Atherosclerosis Study (VHAS)Journal Of Hypertension, 1998
- Risk factors associated with alterations in carotid intima—media thickness in hypertensionJournal Of Hypertension, 1998
- Prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis in middle-aged hypertensive and control subjects. A cross-sectional systematic study with duplex ultrasoundJournal Of Hypertension, 1996
- Association between angiotensin converting enzyme gene polymorphism and carotid atherosclerosisJournal Of Hypertension, 1996
- Evaluating the benefits of an antihypertensive agent using trials based on event and organ damage: the Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly Long-term Lacidipine (SHELL) trial and the European Lacidipine Study on Atherosclerosis (ELSA)Journal Of Hypertension, 1995
- Risk factors for carotid and femoral atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolaemic menJournal of Internal Medicine, 1994
- 1993 Guidelines for the management of mild hypertension: memorandum from a World Health Organization/International Society of Hypertension meetingJournal Of Hypertension, 1993
- Measurement of the ultrasonic intima-media complex thickness in normal subjectsJournal of Vascular Surgery, 1993
- Distribution and correlates of sonographically detected carotid artery disease in the Cardiovascular Health Study. The CHS Collaborative Research Group.Stroke, 1992
- Detection and monitoring of asymptomatic atherosclerosis in clinical trialsThe American Journal of Medicine, 1989