title: [Pathologico-anatomical peculiarities of ischemic heart disease in females].
abstract: In 364 women who died of myocardial infarction, autopsy was performed to assess the extent of chronic ischemic heart disease. The mean age at the time of death at 70.5 years was higher than that of men who died of myocardial infarction; only 4% of the women were less than 50 years of age. In all cases, there were severe arteriosclerotic changes in all coronary arteries. Three-forths of the patients had luminal narrowing of more than 50%, one-forth less than 50%. Accordingly, with respect to morphology, for acute myocardial infarction as cause of death, there were no differences between the sexes. The muscle mass averaging 440 g was less than that reported for comparable studies in men. In 59 women less than 50 years of age with complaints consistent with angina pectoris and angiographically-documented normal coronary arteries, left ventricular biopsies were examined for evidence of chronic ischemic heart disease. In ten patients changes in the terminal vascular beds were found which were considered to be compatible with small vessel disease and in 19 patients there were microscars and a fibrotic pattern as seen in chronic ischemic heart disease. Twelve patients had scarring and fibrosis similar to that seen after myocarditis and 18 patients had a round-cell myocarditis without evidence of involvement of the terminal vascular beds. Thus, heart muscle biopsies appear to be of value in the diagnosis of changes in peripheral arterial beds.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000473:pathology; D001706:Biopsy; D002312:Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / Q000473:pathology; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000473:pathology*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000473:pathology; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000473:pathology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology
vernacular_title: Pathologisch-anatomische Besonderheiten der ischämischen Herzkrankheit bei Frauen.