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When processing data from the long-term follow-up of cardiovascular diseases in the Most district the author revealed: 1. In the course of 30 years the ratio of older subjects increased in the Most district (men above 60 years, women above 55 years) from 9.1% in 1961 to 17.3% in 1990; the ageing of the population in the Most district is more rapid than corresponds to average data from Czech Republic and the North Bohemian region. 2. In the course of 40 years (1950-1990) the rising trend of hospitalized morbidity on account of all cardiovascular diseases, ischaemic heart disease and myocardial infarction persists. 3. Analysis of the morbidity from cardiovascular diseases in 1989 in the Most district did not reveal any differences as compared with 1976. It was confirmed that the ratio of deaths from cardiovascular diseases rises with age. A limiting factor is also the necropsy rate, in particular as regards patients who did not die in hospital. Particularly alarming is the cardiovascular mortality in the group aged 40-69 years.

A clinico-pathologico-anatomical analysis of 150 cases of sudden death in a district of Bohemia in the period 1971--1973 revealed coronary atherosclerosis as the most frequent cause of sudden death(87.3%); stenosing coronary atherosclerosis without postmortally detectable myocardial necrosis participated by 71.7% in the coronary group. Men, especially in younger age groups, were more frequent victims than women. Within one-hour duration of the terminal episode, 57.3% of the deaths occurred; 45.3% of the decreased succumbed to sudden death at their homes. With advancing age, severe findings in the coronary vascular bed and in the myocardium became more frequent. One half of the victims of sudden death in the coronary group had histories of ischaemic heart disease; 37 suddenly deceased persons (28.2%) had experienced myocardial infarction. In another 25 victims of sudden death scars after formerly asymptomatic myocardial infarcts were found.