Subclinical atherosclerosis as cardiovascular events risk factor

Abstract

Subclinical atherosclerosis is an initial hidden form of chronic progressive inflammatory artery disease. Hemodynamic insignificant asymptomatic atherosclerotic plaques may become the cause of myocardial infarction, stroke and even sudden cardiac death. As far as it is not easy to evaluate the atherosclerotic plaque stability in real clinical practice in most cases, the fact of atherosclerosis presence should be taken into account while risk stratification. The frequency of atherosclerotic plaques detection among patients (n=600) from polyclinics at west side of Moscow Russia with low and moderate risk according to SCORE scale was 59%. Till that time there is no standard cardiovascular risk stratification using subclinical
atherosclerosis existence, though there is no doubt about its importance. Large clinical studies are needed to evaluate the possibility of subclinical atherosclerosis being as an independent cardiovascular risk factor, its prognostic value, and to develop recommendations for changes in patients’ management.