Atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries documented by duplex scan as a predictor of coronary artery disease in familial hyperlipidemias.

The degree of atherosclerotic plaques in the carotid arteries was evaluated in 85 patients with familial hypercholesterolemia and in 43 patients with familial combined hyperlipidemia by means of Duplex scan which recognizes early atherosclerosis. In patients older than 40 years carotid atherosclerosis of moderate degree was associated with coronary heart disease in 90% of cases. The extent of elevated cholesterol, age, cigarette smoking, and hypertension determined the degree of carotid atherosclerosis.