Background Perioperative cardiovascular complications occurred frequently,especially coronary heart disease,as atherosclerosis risk factors in patients.To explore the perioperative arterial vascular endothelial function and carotid intima-media thickness(IMT) as atherosclerosis early pathological changes of alternative indicators forecast the possibility of cardiovascular complications.Methods We selected surgery patients 150 cases:including atherosclerosis risk factors group(ASF group):73 cases,among them,22 cases had carotid artery atherosclerosis plaque(ASF:IMT Plaque) and 51 cases had no plaque(ASF:NO-IMT Plaque);and non-risk factors group(NO-ASF group):77 cases,among them,18 cases had carotid artery atherosclerosis plaque(NO-ASF:IMT Plaque) and 59 cases had no plaque(NO-ASF:NO-IMT Plaque).Arterial vascular endothelial function was measured as flow-mediated dilation(FMD) of the brachial artery using high-resolution B-mode ultrasonic device,for one day before operation(the baseline of value),on two hours from recovery after general anesthesia,the first day after operation,the fifth days after operation.Results FMD of two groups on two hours was reduced,compared with the baseline,but FMD of ASF group was decreased significantly(P = 0.032);FMD of ones further was increased on Day 1 and Day 5,but NO-ASF group was increased significantly(P < 0.05);FMD of the baseline and atherosclerosis risk factors was negatively correlated(R =-0.216,P = 0.023).FMD of ASF:IMTP group was decreased significantly respectively in four times,compared with the ASF:NO-IMTP group(P = 0.034,P = 0.009,P = 0.001 and P = 0.017).FMD of NO-ASF:IMTP group was decreased significantly respectively in four times,compared with the NO-ASF:NO-IMTP group(P = 0.006,P = 0.005,P = 0.000 and P = 0.000).Pulse pressure(PP) was not different on Day 1(P = 0.26),and was different between the two groups in the remaining three periods(P = 0.035,P = 0.040 and P = 0.014);SBP was not different between the basic value(P > 0.05),there were differences in the other three times(P < 0.05).While Nitroglycerin-induced dilation(NTG) was stable throughout.Conclusions Arterial endothelial function was correlative with atherosclerosis risk factors,and that EDD and IMT as atherosclerosis alternative indicators forecast cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events after surgery is feasible. Background Perioperative cardiovascular complications occurred frequently, particularly in coronary heart disease, as atherosclerosis risk factors in patients. To explore the perioperative arterial vascular endothelial function and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) as atherosclerosis early pathological changes of alternative indicators forecast the possibility of cardiovascular complications There were 150 cases of carotid artery atherosclerosis plaque (ASF: IMT Plaque) and 51 cases had no plaque (ASF: NO-IMT Plaque; and non-risk factors group (NO-ASF group): 77 cases, among them, 18 cases had carotid artery atherosclerosis plaque (NO- ASF: IMT Plaque) and 59 cases had no plaque Arterial vascular endothelial function was measured as flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery using high-resolution B-mode ultrasonic device, for one day before operation (the baseline of value), on two hours from recovery after general anesthesia, the first day after operation, the fifth days after operation. Results FMD of two groups on two hours was reduced, compared with the baseline, but FMD of ASF group was decreased significantly ( P = 0.032); FMD of ones further increased increased on Day 1 and Day 5, but NO-ASF group was increased significantly (P <0.05); FMD of one baseline increased at risk of negative correlated with atherosclerosis (R = -0.216, P = 0.023) .FMD of ASF: IMTP group was decreased significantly in four times, compared with the ASF: NO-IMTP group (P = 0.034, P = 0.009, P = 0.001 and P = : IMTP group was decreased significantly in four times, compared with the NO-ASF: NO-IMTP group (P = 0.006, P = 0.005, P = 0.000 and P = 1 (P = 0.26), and was different between the two groups in the remaining three periods (P = 0.035, P = 0.040 and P = 0.014); SBP was not different between the basic value (There were differences in the other three times (P <0.05) .While Nitroglycerin-induced dilation (NTG) was stable throughout. Conclusions Arterial endothelial function was correlative with atherosclerosis risk factors, and that EDD and IMT as atherosclerosis alternative indicators forecast cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events after surgery is feasible.