Predictor of Advanced Subclinical Atherosclerosis

This study will enroll 600 asymptomatic subjects at low (<6%), intermediate (6-20% ), or high (>20%) 10-year Framingham global cardiovascular risk in approximately equal proportions.

Subjects will be enrolled from each of the three risk levels at each study site (6 total in the US). Subjects will be enrolled in a consecutive manner until there are 200 subjects from each risk level. We will track the number of subjects from each risk stratum. We will also ensure adequate representation of women (at least 33%) and African Americans (at least 25%)in the study.

We will test the subjects with 2 non-invasive skin cholesterol tests and will take a sample of blood that will be tested for serum cholesterol values and other markers of CAD. Subjects will also undego a carotid IMT scan.

The primary objective of the study is to see if skin cholesterol correlates with CAD, as measured by CIMT.

Inclusion criteria

• Informed written consent from the subject prior to testing.
• Males or females 40-80 years of age

Exclusion criteria

• Subjects taking cholesterol-lowering medications
• Known hepatitis
• Known pregnancy
• Skin disease on either hand (e.g. eczema psoriasis, rash or broken skin)
• Known CAD (previous myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization procedure), cerebrovascular disease (previous stroke, transient ischemic attack, or carotid revascularization procedure), or peripheral arterial disease(claudication or previous revascularization procedure)