BACKGROUND: Duplex sonography has been widely used for the measurement of carotid atherosclerosis and poor blood flow domestically and overseas. Moreover, it can be used for carotid monitoring in patients with hypertension and those with both hypertension and stroke.OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to investigate carotid atherosclerosis in patients with hypertension and those with both hypertension and stroke.DESIGN: It was a case-control study.SETTING: Neurology Department of Third People's Hospital of Liaocheng city.PARTICIPANTS: Totally 180 outpatients, inpatients and healthy individuals underwent carotid sonography in the Third People's hospital of Liaocheng City were recurited from October 2003 to September 2004. They were divided into 3 groups, as normal control group (30 people, N group),primary hypertension group (50 cases, PH group) and hypertension and stroke group (100 cases, HS group). Informed consents were obtained from all the participants.METHODS: All the participants underwent duplex-pulsed Doppler sonography for the measurement of internal carotid artery, external carotid artery and carotid bifurcation. Intima-media thickness, inner diameter, plaque occurrence and Crouse score of these arteries were calculated.occurrence rate of an increased intima-media thickness of carotid artery with an plaque formation: It was lower in N group than in PH group and HS group (33.3% ,68% ,97% ,P ＜ 0.01). "Soft"plaque and plaque hemorlower in N group than in PH group and HS group (0.95±0.82,6.62±4.14,plaque: The most common location of carotid atherosclerotic disease is at the common carotid artery and the carotid bifurcation and then is the internal carotid artery.CONCLUSION: Duplex pulsed Doppler sonography is known as an effective and non-invasive technique for assessment of the damages on target organs caused by hypertension. Grading of carotid atherosclerosis can be used for the measurement of the damages on target organs caused by hypertension. Hereby, reliable data can be obtained for the treatment of the disease.