Cardiomyocyte remodeling in ischemic heart disease.

Objective: The aim of the study was to detect changes in left ventricular cardiomyocyte size and shape in response to chronic ischemia and loss of cardiac tissue (myocardial infarction) during the course of ischemic heart disease (IHD).

Material And Methods: Left ventricular cardiomyocyte dimensions (diameter and length) were estimated histomorphometrically, and their cross-sectional area and volume were assessed in 85 males who died suddenly out of hospital (within 6 hours of the onset of the terminal event) due to the acute first (preinfarction IHD group, n=53, aged 48.6+/-2.

Out-of-hospital coronary heart disease death: acute pathological lesions.

Background: The majority of deaths due to acute coronary heart disease (CHD) occur outside hospital, unexpectedly, within the first few hours following the onset of the terminal event. Data on the incidence and nature of acute pathological findings in the affected hearts as seen in routine autopsies are somewhat controversial. Detailed pathological examination of coronary arteries and myocardium of such decedents was performed to clarify the situation.

[Changes of heart geometry in patients with ischemic heart disease].

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine ventricular and atrial cardiometric parameters at preinfarction and postinfarction stage of ischemic heart disease.

Object And Methods: Cardiometric parameters (mass, endocardial surface area, the tracts of flow and outflow, etc.) of 132 men (mean age of 49.

[Ischemic heart disease: structural changes of the atria in preinfarction and postinfarction stages].

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine atrial structural remodeling during the development of ischemic heart disease.

Material And Methods: Quantitative histomorphometric parameters of interstitial collagen network (the percentage volume, perimeter, number of fibers per field and collagen-cardiomyocyte volume ratio) of the atria of 132 autopsied men (mean age 49.7+/-8.

Reliability of cause-specific mortality rate statistics: case of Lithuania.

Objectives: To evaluate the reliability of cause-specific mortality rate statistics.

Study Design: The underlying causes of death among different demographic groups in a territorial unit of Lithuania were verified and the data were compared with the corresponding official statistics.

Methods: Community-based autopsy and expert analysis of medical records.