Functional and Structural Alterations of Large Arteries: Methodological Issues

Increased intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery is a well-known marker of early atherosclerosis, which significantly correlates with the development of coronary or cerebro-vascular disease. More recently, guidelines for cardiovascular prevention in hypertension also introduced other vascular parameters evaluating both mechanical and functional arterial properties of peripheral arteries. Increased arterial stiffness, which can be detected by ultrasound at the common carotid, has been shown to predict future cardiovascular events and it is already considered a subclinical target organ of hypertensive patients.