Cardiol Res

Cardiology Research, ISSN 1923-2829 print, 1923-2837 online, Open Access

Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, Cardiol Res and Elmer Press Inc

Journal website https://www.cardiologyres.org

Original Article

Volume 7, Number 1, February 2016, pages 9-16

Coronary Artery Disease Screening With Carotid Ultrasound Examination by a Primary Care Physician

Figure 1. The annual changes in the number of the patients referred to our hospital and in the number of clinics who referred patients to our hospital for further evaluation of coronary artery disease.

Figure 2. The coronary computed tomography angiography findings in the referred patients with multiple coronary risk factors and carotid atherosclerosis.

Figure 3. Patient management as the result of coronary artery disease screening in the referred patients with multiple coronary risk factors and carotid atherosclerosis.

**Table 1.** Patient Characteristics
	Total (n = 135)	SIG (n = 48)	NOT (n = 87)	P value
Data are mean ± SD or number of patients (percentage). P values indicate the SIG group vs. the NOT group. LDL: low-density lipoprotein; HDL: high-density lipoprotein. The risk factors were defined as male gender, age older than 45 years in men and 55 years in women, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, hypertension, smoking, and chronic kidney disease.
Age (years)	69 ± 11	69 ± 9	68 ± 8	0.68
Male	102 (76)	39 (81)	63 (72)	0.25
Coronary risk factors
Hypertension	85 (63)	32 (67)	53 (61)	0.51
Dyslipidemia	84 (62)	32 (67)	52 (60)	0.43
Diabetes mellitus	83 (62)	32 (67)	51 (59)	0.36
Insulin	15 (11)	4 (8)	11 (13)	0.45
Oral antihyperglycemic agents	56 (42)	21(44)	35 (40)	0.69
Smoking	63 (47)	25 (52)	87 (100)	0.35
Chronic kidney disease	5 (4)	1 (2)	4 (5)	0.46
Total cholesterol (mg/dL)	188 ± 37	180 ± 36	181 ± 61	0.46
LDL cholesterol (mg/dL)	108 ± 31	103 ± 32	113 ± 31	0.17
HDL cholesterol (mg/dL)	55 ± 16	51 ± 15	58 ± 16	0.01
LDL/HDL	2.12 ± 0.78	2.14 ± 0.82	1.80 ± 0.30	0.05
Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg)	138 ± 20	135 ± 20	140 ± 20	0.23
Diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg)	81 ± 12	78 ± 13	83 ± 11	0.04
Number of the risk factors	4.1 ± 1.2	4.4 ± 1.2	4.0 ± 1.2	0.13
Antihypertensive drugs	81 (60)	35 (73)	46 (53)	0.02
Number of the drugs	1.2 ± 1.2	1.4 ± 1.2	0.99 ± 1.2	0.15
Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor	5 (4)	1 (2)	4 (5)	0.46
Angiotensin receptor blocker	58 (43)	26 (54)	32 (37)	0.05
β blocker	16 (12)	8 (17)	8 (9)	0.20
α blocker	9 (7)	3 (6)	6 (7)	0.89
Calcium channel blocker	50 (37)	24 (50)	26 (30)	0.02
Diuretic agent	12 (9)	5 (10)	7 (8)	0.64
Aldosterone antagonist	2 (2)	0 (0)	2 (2)	0.29
Statin	50 (37)	18 (38)	32 (37)	0.93
Carotid intima-media thickness (mm)	2.00 ± 0.63	2.14 ± 0.71	1.99 ± 0.56	0.10

Table 1. Patient Characteristics

Total (n = 135)

SIG (n = 48)

NOT (n = 87)

P value

Data are mean ± SD or number of patients (percentage). P values indicate the SIG group vs. the NOT group. LDL: low-density lipoprotein; HDL: high-density lipoprotein. The risk factors were defined as male gender, age older than 45 years in men and 55 years in women, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, hypertension, smoking, and chronic kidney disease.

Age (years)

69 ± 11

69 ± 9

68 ± 8

0.68

Male

102 (76)

39 (81)

63 (72)

0.25

Coronary risk factors

Hypertension

85 (63)

32 (67)

53 (61)

0.51

Dyslipidemia

84 (62)

32 (67)

52 (60)

0.43

Diabetes mellitus

83 (62)

32 (67)

51 (59)

0.36

Insulin

15 (11)

4 (8)

11 (13)

0.45

Oral antihyperglycemic agents

56 (42)

21(44)

35 (40)

0.69

Smoking

63 (47)

25 (52)

87 (100)

0.35

Chronic kidney disease

5 (4)

1 (2)

4 (5)

0.46

Total cholesterol (mg/dL)

188 ± 37

180 ± 36

181 ± 61

0.46

LDL cholesterol (mg/dL)

108 ± 31

103 ± 32

113 ± 31

0.17

HDL cholesterol (mg/dL)

55 ± 16

51 ± 15

58 ± 16

0.01

LDL/HDL

2.12 ± 0.78

2.14 ± 0.82

1.80 ± 0.30

0.05

Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg)

138 ± 20

135 ± 20

140 ± 20

0.23

Diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg)

81 ± 12

78 ± 13

83 ± 11

0.04

Number of the risk factors

4.1 ± 1.2

4.4 ± 1.2

4.0 ± 1.2

0.13

Antihypertensive drugs

81 (60)

35 (73)

46 (53)

0.02

Number of the drugs

1.2 ± 1.2

1.4 ± 1.2

0.99 ± 1.2

0.15

Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor

5 (4)

1 (2)

4 (5)

0.46

Angiotensin receptor blocker

58 (43)

26 (54)

32 (37)

0.05

β blocker

16 (12)

8 (17)

8 (9)

0.20

α blocker

9 (7)

3 (6)

6 (7)

0.89

Calcium channel blocker

50 (37)

24 (50)

26 (30)

0.02

Diuretic agent

12 (9)

5 (10)

7 (8)

0.64

Aldosterone antagonist

2 (2)

0 (0)

2 (2)

0.29

Statin

50 (37)

18 (38)

32 (37)

0.93

Carotid intima-media thickness (mm)

2.00 ± 0.63

2.14 ± 0.71

1.99 ± 0.56

0.10