February 20, 2003
Ultrasound Provides a New Way to Look at Heart Health
Seattle — Every 53 seconds, someone in America has a stroke. Direct detection of early hardening of the arteries may help prevent a stroke or heart attack. A new approach to this detection that goes beyond cholesterol is to measure the thickness of the carotid artery (the main artery of the neck) with reflected sound waves, known as ultrasound.
A two-year study led by Dr. Robert Knopp, Chief, Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle is currently studying this new ultrasound approach. Harborview is one of 11 study sites in the country and the primary site in Seattle.
This study provides an outstanding opportunity for persons to learn if they have carotid thickening, an early sign of hardening of the arteries. On the other hand, a normal carotid ultrasound measurement can provide an indication that heart disease and stroke risk are low.
The ultrasound approach measures the thickening of the two inner layers of the carotid artery called the intima and the media. This measure of thickness is abbreviated IMT (intima media thickness) and is proportional to the amount of hardening in the arteries (atherosclerosis).
Sometimes atherosclerosis and stroke or heart attack can develop although persons may have normal range cholesterol levels. If the carotid thickness is in the correct range, persons may participate in a study of an investigational statin drug versus placebo (inactive pill) to see if, and how much carotid artery thickening can be reversed.
The study gives persons with an LDL above 130 and no current cholesterol drug treatment, an opportunity to have this carotid ultrasound measurement. Participants may qualify if they are generally healthy, without heart disease or diabetes, and are men ages 45-70 or women ages 55-70. Persons cannot have been treated with cholesterol medication in the past year. For more information about this study, call 206-341-4406.
Research performed at The Northwest Lipid Research Clinic (NWLRC), which is based at Harborview Medical Center, shows that lowering cholesterol levels in the blood reduces the incidence of heart disease. The clinic was one of 12 sites internationally that first proved the link between cholesterol and heart disease.
The NWLRC cares for patients with high cholesterol and blood fats, a condition known as hyperlipidemia. The clinic measures cholesterol and other fats in blood samples and uses the results to design an individualized program for each patient, including diet, exercise and medication recommendations. Patients are given information and support throughout the course of their treatment. For more information on NWLRC visit the website: http://www.washington.edu/medical/hmc/services/lipid.html
