The relations between carotid arteries and/or abdominal aortic plaque and cardiovascular risk factors were investigated by ultrasonography in 161 untreated hypercholesterolemic normotensive men. Of them, 58 had no plaque (NP group), 34 had carotid but not aortic plaque (CP group), 34 had aortic but not carotid plaque (AP group) and 35 had both carotid and aortic plaques (CAP group). Groups significantly differed for age, smoking, blood pressure, and the ratio of total to HDL cholesterol. Age was higher in CAP group than in NP and CP groups and in AP and CP groups than in NP group. Life long smoking dose was higher in CAP group than in CP, AP, and NP groups. Systolic and diastolic pressures were higher in CAP group than in NP group, systolic pressure was higher in CAP group than in CP group, and diastolic pressure was higher in AP group than in CP and NP groups. The ratio of total to HDL cholesterol was higher in CAP group than in AP, CP, and NP groups. Multiple regression analysis showed that carotid plaque was only related to age, while aortic plaque and the number of sites affected by plaque were correlated to age, smoking and diastolic pressure. These findings suggest that in hypercholesterolemia risk factors other than lipids seem to influence arterial plaque and that risk profile differs according to the plaque location.