Relation of response of subclinical atherosclerosis detected by electron beam tomography to baseline low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels

Abstract

Calcified plaque progression by electron beam tomography was evaluated in 176 aggressively treated asymptomatic patients. Similar plaque progression was noted irrespective of baseline low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, including those with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol <100 mg/dl. These findings indicate that subclinical atherosclerosis may respond to drug therapy in a fashion parallel to that of clinical disease demonstrated in the Heart Protection Study.