• The PLAC Test measures blood levels of an enzyme called Lp-PLA2 that, when elevated, may trigger an inflammatory response inside an artery and set the stage for plaque rupture. Clots from ruptured plaque cause more heart at tacks than do narrowed arteries. In clinical testing, having elevated Lp-PLA2 levels doubled one’s risk of heart attack. People with an elevated Lp-PLA2 com bined with high blood pressure were about seven times more likely to have a stroke than those without the risk factors.

• The ArterioVision ultrasound exam measures the thickness of two inner layers of the carotid artery, the major blood vessel that provides blood to the brain. Studies suggest that the carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) test may detect early signs of atherosclerosis and vascular disease not evident on conventional testing.


For more information about the PLAC Test, visit plactest.com . 


For more information about ArterioVision, visit i-mti.com .

Are You As Healthy As You Think? The Saturday Evening Post

An IMT ultrasonic (echo) scan, or an intima-media thickness measurement of the wall of the carotid artery in the neck, is often used as a surrogate marker for the development of atherosclerosis. When cholesterol gets deposited into arteries, the inner (intima) and middle (media) parts of the arterial wall thicken, so that a thicker wall produces a higher IMT score, which indicates the presence of increased cholesterol deposition and, therefore, more advanced atherosclerosis. What happens in the carotid artery in the neck appears to correlate with what is happening to arteries in the heart and head and, therefore, indicates a greater propensity for developing problems like a heart attack or stroke.

However, the IMT score is only one piece of an overall evaluation, and there are no studies showing that such a measurement alone improves patient outcomes. Nevertheless, given your family history and the fact that you have plaque in your carotid arteries (and assuming your lipids are abnormal), treatment with a statin would be indicated. If you were my patient, I would also address other risk factors such as diet, activity, smoking, blood pressure, weight, diabetes, and so on, and not consider a statin in isolation.

IMT Scan vs. Other Factors The Saturday Evening Post