Artery wall thickness useful in detecting heart risk

The thickness of the carotid artery wall, as measured by ultrasound, is a good predictor of heart attack and stroke in asymptomatic, elderly individuals, according to a new report (New England Journal of Medicine 1999;340:14-22).

Researchers from the multicentre Cardiovascular Health Study Collaborative Research Group enrolled 5858subjects, 4476of whom had no previous history of cardiovascular disease, into an observational study. Sixty per cent of the subjects were women, 15% black, and the remainder …