title: Cardiac pathology in 2007 consecutive forensic autopsies.
abstract: The incidence of various types of cardiovascular disease was evaluated in 2007 consecutive forensic patients. Cardiovascular deaths accounted for 22.8% of the study patients and atherosclerotic coronary heart disease was the most common type of cardiac disease (18%). Among subjects dying of atherosclerotic coronary disease, sudden death was three times more frequent than acute myocardial infarction. Expected cardiac findings included the incidence of severe coronary atherosclerosis (21%), floppy mitral valves (5%), and congenital bicuspid aortic valves (1%). Major cardiac findings occurred in 32% and minor cardiac findings were found in 40%. Only 17% of hearts were anatomically normal. An unexpected cardiac necropsy finding included the high frequency of myocardial bridges (23%). Unexpected cardiac findings included the low incidence of acute myocarditis (0.6%) and common finding of tunneled epicardial coronary arteries ("myocardial bridges") (23%).
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Pathology Registry, St. Vincent Hospital and Health Care Center, Nasser, Smith & Pinkerton Cardiology, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana.
authors.forename: B F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Waller
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Catellier
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Hawley
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Pless
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001344:Autopsy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002423:Cause of Death; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007196:Indiana / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology