Table 3. Characteristics of major functional/morphological markers of atherosclerosis.
| Carotid IMT | Coronary artery calcium | FMD | PWV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Predictive ability | Good | Pretty good | Relatively good | Relatively good |
| Safety | Very safe | Relatively safe | Safe | Very safe |
| Convenience | Convenient | Complicated | Complicated | Very convenient |
| Reproducibility | Good | Good | Relatively good | Relatively good |
| Cost | Low | High | Low | Low |
| AHA guideline's comments |
Benefit >> risk (class IIa) |
Benefit >> risk (class IIa) |
No benefit (class III) |
No benefit (class III) |
AHA, American Heart Association; FMD, flow‐mediated vasodilation; IMT; intima‐media thickness; PWV, pulse wave velocity.