In the next 30 years, more than 60% of adults in the United States could have cardiovascular disease, placing them at much higher risk for serious heart disease, such as heart attack and stroke.
While it might seem like heart attacks and strokes often strike without any warning, the reality is that there are often signs of a potential problem, if you know where to look.
Here at Lafferty Family Care, Dr. Scott Lafferty and our team are big believers in being proactive when it comes to cardiovascular health, which is why we offer comprehensive cardiac prevention assessments. And one of the screening tools that we rely on is the carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) ultrasound.
Here’s a look at what we can evaluate with a CIMT ultrasound and who should consider this important screening.
In your neck, there are four carotid arteries that deliver blood and oxygen from your heart and lungs to your brain. Given their important role, our goal with the CIMT ultrasound is to ensure that sufficient blood is getting through these blood vessels.
Using painless and noninvasive ultrasound technology, we can get a closer look at the walls of your carotid arteries, including the intima (innermost layer) and the media (middle layer).
What we’re looking for is plaque buildup that signals atherosclerosis, a condition that narrows the carotid arteries and places you at higher risk for stroke.
As we mentioned, the CIMT ultrasound is painless and noninvasive, as the technology uses sound waves that pass harmlessly through your tissues.
When you go to the lab, the technician applies a special gel to the skin on your neck, then rolls a transducer over your skin to gather images of your carotid arteries.
There’s nothing you need to do to prepare, though it’s a good idea to wear something comfortable, and you may want to avoid wearing necklaces and earrings.
The screening takes about 20-30 minutes and then you’re free to get on with your day.
There are several reasons why cardiovascular disease is on the rise in the US, as certain risk factors are also on the rise, including:
Outside of these growing risk factors, other conditions or lifestyle habits that place you at risk for cardiovascular disease include:
So, if you can check any of the boxes that we outline above when it comes to risk factors for heart disease, it’s a good idea to have an evaluation of your cardiovascular health, which might include a CIMT ultrasound.
To stay one step ahead of your heart health, please contact our office in Rogers, Arkansas, to schedule your cardiac prevention assessment today.
