Prevalence of hypoechoic carotid plaques in coronary artery disease: relationship with coexistent peripheral arterial disease and leukocyte number.

In coronary artery disease (CAD), a concomitant peripheral arterial disease (PAD) entails a more severe coronary atherosclerosis. We hypothesized that the severity of carotid artery disease is greater in CAD+PAD than in CAD alone. In 90 CAD and 79 CAD+PAD patients, carotid plaque echolucency was measured by gray-scale median (GSM), and the degree of carotid stenosis by routine Doppler criteria.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid in peripheral arterial disease: effect on lipid pattern, disease severity, inflammation profile, and endothelial function.

Background & Aims: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is strongly associated with endothelial dysfunction and inflammation, which portend a high cardiovascular risk. Accordingly, we investigated the effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) supplementation on endothelial function and inflammatory status in affected individuals.

Methods: PAD patients were randomly divided into two groups.

The prevalence of hypoechoic carotid plaques is greater in peripheral than in coronary artery disease and is related to the neutrophil count.

Objective: Previous reports indicate that the prevalence and severity of carotid stenoses is greater in peripheral artery disease (PAD) than in coronary artery disease (CAD). To date, no study has compared these two populations with respect to plaque echogenicity, which is an independent risk factor for cerebrovascular events.

Methods: In 43 PAD patients without CAD and in 43 CAD patients without PAD, carotid plaques were studied with high-resolution B-mode ultrasound and by computerized measurement of the gray-scale median.

[Infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms].

The incidence of and mortality from ruptured infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) are increasing. Therefore, it is important to identify groups at high risk. Tobacco use, hypertension, a family history of AAA, and male sex are clinical risk factors for the development of an aneurysm.

Mortality in peripheral arterial disease: a comparison of patients managed by vascular specialists and general practitioners.

Background: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is undertreated by general practitioners (GPs). However, the impact of the suboptimal clinical management is unknown.

Objective: To assess the mortality rate of PAD patients in relation to the type of physician who provides their care (GP or vascular specialist).