Carotid intima-media thickness and silent brain infarctions in a biracial cohort: The atherosclerosis risk in communities (ARIC) Study

BACKGROUND Both hypertensive and atherosclerotic processes contribute to common carotid artery intima-media thickness (CCA-IMT). Elevated CCA-IMT may be indicative of subclinical cerebrovascular disease; however, its role in the absence of concomitant carotid artery plaque is uncertain, and few studies have examined associations in Black populations.