Hypertension Status Is the Major Determinant of Carotid Atherosclerosis

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Abstract
Background and Purpose— Extracranial carotid artery (ECCA) atherosclerosis has been associated with hypertension-related stroke. The present study was aimed at investigating the determinants of ECCA atherosclerosis in patients with hypertension in Taiwan. Methods— The extent and severity of ECCA atherosclerosis were measured by high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography and expressed as maximal intima-media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery, ECCA plaque score, and carotid stenosis ≥50%. From July through December 1996, 263 hypertensive patients (146 with hypertension and 117 with borderline hypertension) and 270 normotensive adults from the Chin-Shan Community Cardiovascular Cohort participated in this study. Risk factors and ECCA atherosclerosis were stratified by the blood pressure status. Results— A significant dose-response relationship was found between the status of hypertension and the severity of carotid atherosclerosis. Multivariate logistic regression models revealed that hypertension (in...