Accelerated Atherosclerosis in High Risk Population Groups: An Assessment by Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Status:
Terminated
Trial end date:
2017-07-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
The goal of this study is to assess a slimy substance that settles/deposits along blood
vessel wall. This slimy substance is called plaque. Plaque could be made up of fat, calcium
or both. Plaque deposition narrows the vessels. This leads to decreased blood flow to various
parts of body. Blood vessels include vessels that supply to heart (coronary), vessels to
brain (carotid), vessels to kidneys (renal) and vessels to legs (femoral). Decreased blood
flow causes symptoms such as brain stroke, heart attack, leg pain. Similarly individuals at
risk of cardiovascular disease can have certain markers elevated in their blood that can be
measured by simple blood tests.
High or increased plaque deposition is seen in neck vessels of cancer patients who received
radiation to chest or head and neck as part of their cancer treatment. Cancer survivors are
at increased risk of plaque development and are therefore called high-risk population.
Exercise +/- fat lowering medicine can potentially decrease plaque deposition and statins are
one of the several fat lowering medications.