
Carotid artery disease can be estimated by ultrasound from the thickness of the wall of the arteries (recorded as carotid artery intima/medial thickness, cIMT) and by evidence of atherosclerotic plaques within the carotid arteries. The association between alcohol intake and such lesions is unclear, as some studies show a positive association with cIMT and/or plaques while others show no association. Given that carotid disease relates to the subsequent risk of coronary artery disease, there is increasing use of carotid ultrasound measurements to help determine long-term risk.