Baseline Values but Not Treatment-Induced Changes in Carotid Intima-Media Thickness Predict Incident Cardiovascular Events in Treated Hypertensive Patients

Abstract

ELSA shows that carotid intima-media thickening and plaques are important added risks of cardiovascular outcomes in a treated hypertensive population independently of blood pressure and traditional risk factors. However, the analysis failed to show a predictive role of treatment-dependent IMT changes. These negative conclusions should be tempered by the limitations inherent in the smallness of these changes compared with the large individual differences in baseline IMTs.