الفهرس 
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Abstract
Atherosclerosis is a generalized process that is the major cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD), the leading cause of death in the United States. Many noninvasive subclinical measures have been examined to better characterize the extent of atherosclerosis in the body.
AC has been related to CVD and is significantly higher in patients with coronary artery disease. In addition, carotid ultrasound has been used as a measure of atherosclerosis and as a surrogate for coronary atherosclerosis in clinical trials for cholesterol-lowering agents.
It has also been reported that carotid plaque is correlated with the extent of coronary artery disease, and carotid atherosclerosis can be used to predict future coronary events.
Aortic valve atherosclerosis is a marker for atherosclerotic disease in other vascular beds.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between calcification/atherosclerosis in the aortic valve and carotid plaques and coronary arteries.
A total of 41 Egyptian patients with aortic valve calcific atherosclerotic disease were studied. Mean age was 69.5 years Carotid plaque (and narrowing) was assessed with 2D ultrasound. Aortic valve calcification/atherosclerosis (sclerosis alone or with stenosis) was assessed also by Echo Doppler examination. Coronary artery disease was assessed by coronary angiography in 21 patients and by history of infarction or positive exercise ECG in the other patients.
Results: The patients in our study were 41 patients, 15 were male (36.6%) and 26 were female (63.4%), their ages ranged between 50-96 years with mean of 69.5 years. Hypertension was present in 82.9%. LDL cholesterol 150 in 40 patients. Ten patients had history of prior myocardial infarction (24.3%).
All patients had aortic sclerosis with variable calcification and stenosis. Stenosis with PG > 10 mmHg in 23 patients, sclerosis with PG < 10 mmHg in 18 patients and aortic regurgitation was present in 13 patients. Coronary angiography was done on 21 patients, 3 of them had normal coronary angio, 18 patients had coronary heart disease.
Carotid duplex revealed carotid plaques in 21 patients in right side and in 32 patients in left side. Significant stenosis was present in 9 patients in right side and in 16 patients in left side.
Of the 18 with carotid plaques as atheroma or stenosis 83% had coronary heart disease. Patients with coronary heart disease 16/21 = 76% had carotid plaques. All this show the importance of requesting carotid duplex for any aortic atherosclerotic patient. Carotid atherosclerosis did not reach significant stenosis in any of our patients (maximum narrowing was 40%).
The most important finding of the work is that in presence of aortic valve calcification, there was 83% carotid plaque or stenosis. This emphasizes that carotid duplex is mandatory if we find atherosclerotic aortic valve disease. In patients with aortic valve calcification 68% had coronary heart disease.