Non-invasive methods for determining the cardiovascular status of an individual

A non-invasive method for evaluating artery wall status and risk of developing cardiovascular disease selected from the group consisting of coronary heart disease, heart failure, and stroke in an individual, comprising:

• (a) measuring a thickness of an artery intima layer in the individual and a thickness of an artery media layer in the individual using ultrasound employing a frequency greater than 15 MHz,
• (b) calculating a ratio of the measured intima thickness to the measured media thickness (measured I/M ratio), and
• (c) determining artery wall status and risk of developing cardiovascular disease in the individual by comparing the measured intima thickness and/or measured I/M ratio to
• an older intima thickness, comprising a mean intima thickness of a group of healthy subjects of the same sex of the individual and of a mean age greater than the age of the individual, and/or an older I/M ratio, comprising a mean ratio of intima thickness to media thickness of a group of healthy subjects of the same sex and of a mean age greater than the age of the individual, respectively, wherein if the measured intima thickness and/or the measured I/M ratio are equivalent to or greater than the older intima thickness and/or the older I/M ratio, respectively, the individual is evaluated as having an increased risk of said cardiovascular disease,
• wherein the method optionally includes the additional step (ii) and/or step (iii)
• (ii) comparing the measured intima thickness and/or measured I/M ratio to a healthy intima thickness, comprising a mean intima thickness of a group of healthy subjects of the same sex and age of the individual, and/or a healthy I/M ratio, comprising a mean ratio of intima thickness to media thickness of a group of healthy subjects of the same sex and age of the individual, respectively, wherein if the measured intima thickness and/or the measured I/M ratio are greater than the healthy intima thickness and/or the healthy I/M ratio, respectively, the individual is evaluated as having an increased risk of cardiovascular disease,
• (iii) comparing the measured intima thickness and/or measured I/M ratio to a diseased intima thickness comprising a mean intima thickness of a group of subjects of the same sex and age of the individual and having said cardiovascular disease, and/or a diseased I/M ratio, comprising a mean ratio of intima thickness to media thickness of a group of subjects of the same sex and age of the individual and having cardiovascular disease, respectively, wherein if the measured intima thickness and/or the measured I/M ratio are equivalent to or greater than the diseased intima thickness and/or the diseased I/M ratio, respectively, the individual is evaluated as having an increased risk of said cardiovascular disease.