Atherosclerosis of the aorta and coronary arteries in coronary heart disease.

Aortic and coronary atherosclerosis and the prevalence of coronary stenosis and thrombosis were studied in subjects who had died of fresh or recurrent myocardial infarction or had suffered from myocardial infarction in the past. In general, severe atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries with stenosis and calcification was almost a prerequisite for the development of coronary heart disease. The frequency of coronary heart disease varied widely both in different countries and in different towns in the same country. Considerable variations were found among the various towns in the frequency of stenosis and thrombosis in those who had died of coronary heart disease. This finding indicates that although atherosclerosis is indeed a prerequisite for the development of myocardial infarction, other factors may play a significant role in its occurrence. The weight of the heart in persons (excluding hypertensives) with coronary stenosis or a first fresh myocardial infarction was considerably greater than that in the low atherosclerosis group.