Essential hypertension combined with carotid atherosclerotic plaques
Conditions
Interventions
Case series:None
Sponsors
The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
55 Years to 65 Years
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: 1. Patients aged 55 to 65 years old, who were diagnosed with essential hypertension at the Outpatient Departments of Department of Cardiovascular Medicine and Department of Neurology of our hospital between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2025, and had a clear medical history of hypertension. 2. Diagnosed in accordance with the Chinese Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Hypertension (2023 Edition) and current domestic and international diagnostic criteria for essential hypertension. 3. Confirmed by carotid color Doppler ultrasonography that there was at least one atherosclerotic plaque with a maximum thickness =1.5 mm in the extracranial segment of the carotid artery. In addition, the plaques presented at least one ultrasonic feature of vulnerability on two-dimensional ultrasound, including: fibrous cap thickness =65 µm, ulcerated or irregular plaque surface, plaque predominantly composed of hypoechoic/anechoic lipid core, neovascularization within the plaque with Superb Microvascular Imaging (SMI) grade ?–?, or contrast-enhanced ultrasound score grade ?–?. 4. It is planned to initiate antihypertensive treatment for the first time in our hospital or adjust the existing antihypertensive regimen. The blood pressure control target is <140/90 mmHg, and the target for patients complicated with diabetes mellitus or chronic kidney disease is <130/80 mmHg. 5. Voluntarily comply with the standardized antihypertensive treatment in our hospital, be able to complete all ultrasonic examinations, laboratory tests and regular follow-ups in accordance with the research requirements, and sign the written informed consent form.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: 1. Patients with secondary hypertension, including hypertension caused by identifiable etiologies such as renal, endocrine and vascular disorders. 2. Complicated with arrhythmias prone to cardiogenic embolism such as atrial fibrillation and supraventricular tachycardia, or severe cardiovascular diseases including severe coronary artery disease and heart failure. 3. Complicated by a prior history of ipsilateral carotid vascular revascularization, including carotid artery stenting and carotid endarterectomy. 4. Severe hepatic and renal insufficiency (estimated glomerular filtration rate, eGFR <30 ml/min/1.73m²), active malignant tumors, or active autoimmune diseases. 5. Patients who experienced acute coronary syndrome, ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, or underwent major surgical operations within the past 3 months. 6. Pregnant or lactating women. 7. Patients who develop fatal or disabling stroke, myocardial infarction and other serious adverse events during the study and are assessed by the investigator as unfit to continue participating in the study. 8. Poor follow-up compliance, failure to complete scheduled re-examinations and receive standardized antihypertensive therapy as planned.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Maximum thickness of carotid plaque;plaque elastic mo;sonographic features of plaque vulnerability;vascular stenosis rate;grading of neovascularization under SMI; | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| gray-scale median (GSM) of plaque; | — |
Countries
China
Contacts
Public ContactZhang Shikun
The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University
Outcome results
None listed