Smoking, age, and sex in carotid artery atherosclerosis: a review of 3,865 carotid duplex scans.

The association of smoking with atherosclerotic disease is widely accepted, but inadequate recording of smoking histories lead to a wide range of reported correlations with this important risk factor. Additionally, there has been a controversial concept that smoking causes atherosclerosis in men to a greater degree than in women. In this study, carotid duplex scans (CDS) were performed on 3,865 referred patients who gave reliable smoking histories. Participants who had smoked for ten years or more were classified as "smokers" regardless of their present status. The finding of significant plaque (over 50% stenosis) was compared in smokers and nonsmokers at all ages and for both sexes. The findings in almost 4,000 patients referred for carotid duplex scans are presented and show that smoking is a potent risk factor in carotid artery arteriosclerosis. Both men and women are equally affected.