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Compensatory increase in common carotid artery diameter. Relation to blood pressure and artery intima-media thickness in older adults. Cardiovascular Health Study.

TitleCompensatory increase in common carotid artery diameter. Relation to blood pressure and artery intima-media thickness in older adults. Cardiovascular Health Study.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication1996
AuthorsPolak, JF, Kronmal, RA, Tell, GS, O'Leary, DH, Savage, PJ, Gardin, JM, Rutan, GH, Borhani, NO
JournalStroke
Volume27
Issue11
Pagination2012-5
Date Published1996 Nov
ISSN0039-2499
KeywordsAged, Blood Pressure, Carotid Artery, Common, Cross-Sectional Studies, Echocardiography, Female, Heart Ventricles, Humans, Hypertension, Male, Tunica Intima, Tunica Media
Abstract<p><b>BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: </b>Common carotid artery (CCA) diameter is thought to increase as a consequence of hypertension and may increase as the thickness of the arterial wall increases. The purpose of this study was to determine CCA dimensions and correlate them with clinical features.</p><p><b>METHODS: </b>We performed a cross-sectional, community-based study of adults 65 years of age and older, measuring inner and outer diameter of the CCA in vivo with carotid sonography. Findings were correlated against risk factors for atherosclerosis, CCA intima-media thickness (IMT), and echocardiographically determined left ventricular (LV) mass.</p><p><b>RESULTS: </b>Independent variables showing strong positive associations with outer and inner CCA diameter included age, male sex, height, weight, and systolic blood pressure. As an independent variable, LV mass (r = .40 and r = .37, respectively; P < .00001) had a strong positive relation to inner and outer CCA diameters. The relationship between diameter and IMT was different. In a model that controlled for age, sex, and estimated LV mass, an increase of 1 mm in CCA IMT corresponded to a 1.9 mm increase in the outer diameter of the artery (P < .00001) but was not significantly related to the inner diameter (slope = +0.07 mm; P = .26).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS: </b>Increase in the outer diameter of the CCA is associated with subject size, sex, age, echocardiographically estimated LV mass, and CCA IMT. Increases in internal diameter of the CCA have similar relationships but are not related to IMT. This supports the hypothesis that the human CCA dilates as the thickness of the artery wall increases.</p>
Alternate JournalStroke
PubMed ID8898807
Grant ListN01-85079 / / PHS HHS / United States
N01-85086 / / PHS HHS / United States