Prevalence of increased intima-media thickness ratio of carotid arteries in patients with coronary artery disease

Background: Atherosclerosis is a diffuse process that starts in childhood, and becomes symptomatic in middle age. Although it is a diffuse process, the carotid and coronary arteries are mostly involved. Regarding the causes atherosclerosis of carotid and coronary arteries are thought to be related together. Objective: To determine the prevalence of carotid artery lesion on the basis of intima -media thickness in patients with definite coronary arteries disease(CAD). Methods: This study was carried out on 100 patients at Isfahan Shahid Chamran & Al zahra medical centers in 2000. The control group consisted of 50 patients with normal coronary angiography and no history of CVA. The case group consisted of 50 patients with abnormal coronary angiography ( stenosis more than 75% in one or more coronary arteries) and no history of CVA. Findings: 38 patients (76%) with abnormal coronary angiogram ( the case group ) had carotid arteries atherosclerosis and 10 patients (20%) with normal coronary angiogram ( the control group ) had abnormal color doppler sonography. There was a significant relation between atherosclerotic involvement of coronary and carotid arteries (Relative Risk =3.43). Conclusion: Regarding the results, the patients with coronary artery disease are at high risk of carotid artery atherosclerosis, so noninvasive color doppler sonography study and measurement of intima and media thickness can screen these patients and put them in to high risk for CVA during and after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABGS).