[Early detection of atherosclerosis]

Area of Science:

• Vascular Medicine
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Preventive Cardiology

Background:

• Early detection of asymptomatic atherosclerotic lesions is limited.
• Various screening tests have differing effectiveness for atherosclerosis.
• Risk factors like hypertension and hyperlipidemia necessitate early screening.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of different screening methods for early atherosclerosis.
• To identify optimal tools for detecting subclinical atherosclerotic lesions.
• To determine the benefits of early screening in high-risk populations.

Main Methods:

• Review of diagnostic modalities including Doppler ultrasound, arteriography, and non-invasive imaging.
• Assessment of predictive values of clinical signs like vascular murmurs.
• Evaluation of indirect clues from ECG, thallium scans, and pressure measurements.

Main Results:

• Pulsed and color-Doppler ultrasound are superior for detecting vessel wall thickening and silent plaques.
• Vascular murmurs have low predictive value; calcifications may appear early.
• Arteriography is invasive and may underestimate non-obstructive lesions.

Conclusions:

• Pulsed and color-Doppler ultrasound are the best screening tools for subclinical atherosclerosis.
• Screening is crucial in young, at-risk patients to enable timely, adapted treatment.
• Detecting carotid or iliofemoral lesions can identify increased coronary artery disease risk.