Measurement of Intima Media Thickness of Carotid Artery for Male Students at the College of Applied Medical Sciences
Author(s): Mashael S. Al-Toub*, Aliyah S. Altuwalah, Rana H. Aldahlawi, Hala M. Alotaibi, Mohammed A. Alnafea
Abstract
Over 30% of young adults in Saudi Arabia are at risk of a cardiovascular disease. Early detection of asymptomatic illness reduces the mortality rate. This cross-sectional study aims to assess carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) by measuring the inner two layers of the carotid artery-the intima and media. One-hundred students (age 18-24) standing for ~10% of the total number of 917 female students. The relationship between cigarette smoking, obesity, and lack of exercise with early changes in the carotid artery wall examined. Then high blood pressure, blood CBC and lipids profile with early changes in the wall of the carotid artery assessed. This cross-sectional study showed that threshold values above (0.06cm) i.e., CIMTmax considered, around 7% of total number of candidates have abnormal values. It also showed that in total around 93% of candidates were normal. The existing relationship between CIMT and blood pressure showed that all abnormal cases have elevated blood pressure. When addressing diet, cigarette smoking and obesity data with abnormal CIMT 7% and 3% were obese. Hypertension and arterial Vasculopathy may have mutual causes and effects. It is unknown whether CIMT is reliably predictive of the presence of newly developed hypertension in the young students. This study evaluated the impacts of CIMT on new-onset hypertension in 7% of the candidates and the results confirmed that all 7% have elevated CIMT