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The paper presents basic epidemiological, electrophysiological and therapeutical differences of cardiac arrhythmias depended on gender. Inadequate sinus tachycardia, orthostatic tachycardia syndrome and atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia are more common in women as well as prolongation of QT interval and proarrhythmic phenomenon (especially torsade de pointes). Atrial fibrillation, although significantly less common in women, is more onerous, therapeutic aims are worse to achieve and outcomes are less favourable than in men. European guidelines do not recommend different pharmacological treatement of supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias in relation to gender. Older antyarrhythmic drugs (beta-adrenolytics, amiodarone, sotalol) and as well as newer ones (dronedarone, ivabradine, vernakalant and ranolazine) seem to have the same influence on arrthythmias both in men and women, althouth their long-term safety may be different and depend on influence on QT interval. The paper presents the state of the art of antiarrhythmic drugs that might be prefered among woman in different clinical situations.

In most of studies on the multiple risk behaviour syndrome, tobacco smoking is consider as one of the main components. In this paper smoking was excluded from this syndrome. On the contrary, a set of behaviours that includes: alcohol abuse, cannabis use and aggressive behaviours (bullying, fighting) was described and its association with smoking related behaviours was evaluated. Data were collected from 15-year-old students (N = 50618) from 28 countries participating in Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey in 2005/06. Representative samples of pupils completed a standardised questionnaire during school hours in each country. Risk Behaviour Syndrome (RBS) was measured on the scale ranged 0-12 points, categorized into 3 levels. We tried to answer the following questions: 1) is early tobacco onset related with the higher risk of being involved in multiple problem behaviours; 2) what is the prevalence of regular tobacco smoking among adolescents reporting multiple problem behaviours; 3) in what extent gender modifies above relationships; 4) are similar patterns observed in Poland and combined international sample. The results have shown, that in Poland 22.6% of boys and 5.0% of girls reported high level of RBS (6 points or more). The prevalence of every day smoking was equal to 14.9% and 10,1%, in boys and girls, respectively. This percentage increased to 38.8% and 61.0% in the group of boys and girls reporting high score on RBS scale. More boys than girls started to smoke at age 13 yrs or earlier (38.6% vs. 27.1%). Adolescents who begun smoking earlier, were more likely to be regular smokers at age 15, and more likely to report multiple risk behaviors. In all countries the influence of early tobacco onset on the RBS is more evident among girls.

Pancreatic cancer is the sixth cause of mortality for malignant tumors in Europe and fourth in the USA. It is one of the most deadly cancers. Mean 5-year survival does not exceed 5% and after resection--20%. There is urgent need to develop more efficient methods of treatment of pancreatic cancer. One of the new directions of research is inhibition of angiogenesis. In this paper we present a review of current publications on angiogenesis in pancreatic cancer. The results of studies performed so far and prospects of use of new antiangiogenic drugs are analyzed. In view of lack of angiogenesis inhibitors approved for treatment of pancreatic cancer, drugs efficient against other tumors are presented. We discuss the difficulties of planning new studies on pancreatic cancer, suggesting the possibilities to minimize the risk of tumor resistance against used therapy.

This paper discusses the legal basis for performing forensic autopsies, questions involving the appointment of experts to perform them, and principles of reporting their results. Attention is also given to Recommendation R (99) 3 of the Committee of Ministers, Council of Europe, on the harmonization of regulations for medico-legal autopsies approved February 2 1999 at the 658th sitting of ministerial representatives which recommends member-state governments' acceptance of the principles and rules as their internal standard, as well as the setting up of quality-control programs to assure proper introduction of the principles and regulations. Poland however has not--to date--conformed in any way to these recommendations, and according to the European Law Section of the Department of International Cooperation and European Law at the Ministry of Justice "questions" related to the performance of autopsies are in the hands the Ministry of Health".

This paper discusses the legal regulation of the performance of anatomico-pathological (clinical), hygienico-administrative (coroner's) and other types of autopsies. It is emphasized that in line with current regulations there is the obligation to perform autopsies on deceased persons in hospitals when the cause of death cannot otherwise be clearly determined, even if there is adequate expression of the individual's (or legal representative's) opposition. It is also pointed out that by current regulation it is no longer necessary to perform autopsies on deceased persons in hospital within 12 hours of their hospital admission. The paper also deals with the problem of autopsies performed at the request of private parties or insurers, by explaining that in the present legal setting there is no possibility of compliance with such requests--in spite of which certain insurers contractually reserve the right, in accidental deaths, to perform autopsies on or view the insured person's remains.

Tobacco was brought to Europe by Christopher Columbus, who discovered it in Cuba in October, 1492. Spread of tobacco consumption was initiated by the French diplomat Jean Nicot de Villemain, who in 1560 recommended it in the form of powdered tobacco leaves to the French Queen Catherine de Medice to combat her migraine headaches, and introduced the term Nicotiana tobaccum. Tobacco consumption greatly rose after the I World War, and after the II World War it became very common, especially among man. In the first half of the 20th century the sale of tobacco products rose by 61%, and cigarettes dominated the market of tobacco products. At the beginning of the 20th century cigarettes constituted only 2% of the total sale of tobacco products, while in the middle of the 20th century--more than 80%. Although the first epidemiological papers indicating that "smoking is connected with the shortening of life span" were published in the first half of the 20th century, not until 1950 did Hill and Doll in Great Britain, and Wynder and Graham in USA in 1951 show a statistically significant correlation between cigarettes smoking and lung cancer occurrence. Many controversies according the use of tobacco accompanied it from the beginning of its presence in Europe. The conflicting opinions according to its influence to health coexisted in the 16th to 19th centuries. In this period, especially in the 19th century dominated moral and religious arguments against tobacco. In the 20th century however, and particularly in its second part, development in medical research was enhanced by civil voluntary actions against advertisement and passive smoking. This lead to the significant limitation of tobacco expansion in Europe, USA and Canada in the end of the 20th century.

The epidemics of HIV infection spreads wider and wider. It is estimated that in 2002 about 5 million new cases were registered in the world. In the paper there were analysed information concerning cases of HIV infection and AIDS cases reported in Poland in the years 1985-2002. The epidemic situation of HIV infection and AIDS was compared with the data on the epidemics of the disease in other European countries given in the reports of the World Health Organisation. The number of newly diagnosed cases of HIV infection equaled 7880 in the studied period in Poland. Until the end of the year 2001 there were diagnosed 1153 cases of AIDS and 570 patients died of it. In comparison with other European countries the prevalence of HIV carrier state is low in the Polish population. The main group of HIV infection risk in our country are i.v. drug abusers, and among newly detected carriers the majority are men aged 20-29. Dynamic increase of HIV infected patients in the countries being neighbours of Poland that is Russia, Belarus and Ukraine as well as the rise in importance of the of heterosexual intercourses as a means of spreading of the virus may become a threat to health of the Polish population.

The present paper introduces regulation of law obligatory in the modern world, with a view of preventing and fighting against drug addiction. It allowed to chart approximately the entire spectrum of possible and obeyed rules in the world. Amongst it the activity of international organisations was considered. A special attention was given to Polish legislation. Also the Law about prevention from Drug Addiction (31st January 1985) and law about Counteract against Drug Addiction (24th April 1997) were particularly regarded. A lot of effort was made to bringing the problem of drug addiction and delinquency forward, based upon Polish legislation.