engleski

Impact of risk factors on the morphology of carotid artery plaques and stroke

A group of 83 patients with symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid atherosclerotic lesions were analysed. The morphology of carotid plaques was determined using color Doppler flow imaging. In each patient, the history of stroke and putative risk factors such as age, sex, hypertension, obesity, cigarette smoking, use of oral contraceptives, diabetes and alcohol consumption was collected. The risk factors were correlated with plaque morphology. In soft plaques, the most common risk factors are elevated cholesterol, low HDL-cholesterol and cigarette smoking ; in heterogeneous plaques, the most common risk factor is low HDL-cholesterol ; in fibrous plaques, the most common risk factors are elevated cholesterol and cigarette smoking ; in calcified plaques, the presence of cigarette smoking, hypertension, elevated cholesterol and low HDL-cholesterol are equally important and in case of hemorrhage into plaque, the most important factor is hypertension. A significant correlation was found between the severity of carotid atherosclerotic lesions and stroke. The patients with stroke had significantly more soft and heterogeneous plaques.

carotid artery diseases; complications; carotid arteries; ultrasonography; cerebrovascular disorders; etiology; risk factors

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