INTIMAL PLUS MEDIA THICKNESS OF COMMON CAROTID ARTERIAL-WALL IN SUBJECTS WITH HYPERTENSION

Intimal plus media thickening has been described to be associated with several cardiovascular risk factors. Aim of the present study was to evaluate the intima plus media thickness in male subjects with hyppert ension compared to age matched males normotensive controls. Twenty sub jects with hypertension, defined as systolic blood pressure > 160 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure, 95 mmHg and/or use of antihypertensi ve drugs, and forty age matched controls have been enrolled. Intima pl us media thickness has been measured from B-mode echography images by a computer. Plasma lipids have been measured by routine methods. A zer o random sphygmomanometer has been used to detect blood pressure. Inti ma plus media thickness resulted enlarged in subjects with hypertensio n compared to normotensive controls. The thickening of intima-media co mplex seems atherosclerotic lesions, therefore its early noninvasive t echniques might improve the identification and the monitoring of high risk hypertensive subjects.