Abstract
Introduction and objectivesDetection of carotid atherosclerosis might help to better identify individuals susceptible to cardiovascular events. We aimed to quantify the number of participants with carotid atherosclerosis and low-to-intermediate cardiovascular risk according to the traditional risk factor scoring, and therefore with an elevated risk of cardiovascular events. MethodsCross-sectional, observational study performed during a cardiovascular screening program. From a total of 3778 volunteers, low-to-intermediate cardiovascular risk individuals (N=2354) were identified and studied. Physical examination, blood test, and carotid ultrasound followed standard procedures. Common, bulb, and internal carotid arteries were examined and common carotid intima-media thickness was measured. SCORE risk value was calculated for all participants. Univariate and multivariate statistical analysis was performed. ResultsMean age of participants was 58.9 (15) years, 43.8% were men, 23.7% had hypertension, and 20.5% had hypercholesterolemia. The mean SCORE value was 1.47 (1.4). Both carotid intima-media thickness and the prevalence of carotid plaques increased steadily and significantly (P<.005) as advanced decades of life were analyzed. Variables significantly related with the presence of carotid atherosclerosis were age, male sex, and systolic blood pressure. Interestingly, 592 (25.1%) individuals were reclassified to a higher risk due to the presence of carotid atherosclerosis. ConclusionsThere was a clear dissociation between cardiovascular risk scoring and the presence of atherosclerosis, because 1 of 4 study participants at low-to-intermediate cardiovascular risk had carotid atherosclerosis.Full English text available from:www.revespcardiol.org/en
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