Common Ultrasound May Identify Impending Heart Problems: New Study

Common ultrasound imaging may be able to reveal which patients face a particularly high risk for heart attack or other heart-related illnesses, according to research recently published in the journal Radiology — official journal of the Radiological Society of North America.

As part of this latest research, scientists conducted ultrasound imaging on the carotid arteries (the two major arteries that bring blood to the head and neck) of 1,268 patients who had been identified as facing a high risk for heart disease.  They determined that nearly half the patients already had carotid artery disease.

According to researchers, determining the degree of the occlusion of these diseased arteries is enough to predict an individual patients elevated risk of heart trouble.  They found that the majority of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events occurred in patients whose blood vessels were narrowed to less than 70% of their usual capacity.

By using ultrasound images and computer-assisted gray scale median (GSM) measurements to determine the density of the plaque along the carotid arteries, members of the research team were not only able to determine peoples risk for clinical complications, but they were also able to identify unstable plaques — plaques which are more likely to rupture or burst.

Follow-up ultrasounds conducted months later demonstrated that the conditions of the arteries in 40% of the patients had grown worse. Of those, 37% had suffered a major cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack, stroke or coronary artery bypass. 

Among the others whose ultrasounds appeared better during the follow-up visit, 28% later experienced a major adverse cardiovascular event.

Authors of the study note that their findings show that vulnerable plaque in the carotid artery indicates not only an increased risk of stroke downstream, but also was linked to the progression of cardiovascular disease elsewhere in the patient.

While the researchers agree that more studies are needed, they also advise that ultrasound exams may be a simple, noninvasive way to tell whether vulnerable plaques exist which might threaten the health of a patient.

Previously on the DC Metro Area Medical Malpractice Law Blog, we have posted articles related to:

  • Why Acute Kidney Injury following a heart attack may indicate serious danger
  • Signs and symptoms of a stroke
  • Why youth cocaine abuse symptoms are often misdiagnosed as heart attack

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