The carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) have been known to be related to the degree of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risk factors. The aim of this study was to elucidate the relationship of IMT and the hemodynamic changes during anesthetic induction.

Two hundred fourteen patients scheduled for general anesthesia were studied. The blood pressures and heart rates during anesthetic induction and endotracheal intubation were measured. IMT was measured at right common carotid artery using M-mode ultrasonography after anesthesia,

Mean IMT of the patients was 0.611 ± 0.146 (0.34-0.96) mm. IMT was significantly related with age, systolic blood pressure, the changes of blood pressure after induction, and the changes of blood pressure after intubation. IMT was not related for basal heart rate and the changes of heart rate during anesthetic induction and intubation.

IMT is related with the magnitude of blood pressure decreasing during anesthetic induction and increasing during intubation. The further study is needed to evaluate the relationship of IMT and hemodynamic changes during other anesthetic practice.