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The article deals with results obtained in examination covering miners who faced myocardial infarction and assessing their performance. Spirometry and bicycle ergometry appeared to detect changes in aerobic threshold even in the cases when the effort tolerance is not compromised. The materials obtained bring to a conclusion that the miners after myocardial infarction include subjects with lower functional resources and a higher share of those with reserved aerobic capacity. That necessitates more differentiated approach in occupational placement.

Analysis of the scientific research activities of the Donetsk Research Centre of Occupational Hygiene and Prevention of Traumatism was carried out, which offered a basis for the development of technology for medicosocial assessment of morbidity involving temporary unfitness for work, occupational morbidity, invalidism and mortality among coal miners, risk for development of nonoccupational and occupational diseases, prevalence of IHD and other non-infectious diseases, functional status of the organism according to psychophysiological indices for those going to work in the mine, as well as of the state of undue fatigue and overstrain experienced by the miners. The analysis permits the above technology to be inaugurated in the health care establishments and research institutes.

Incidence of arterial hypertension (AH) in the miners is dependent on the length of service, growing significantly with its duration, as well as on the mining geological and mining engineering features of the mining plants, as evidences by surveys employing epidemiological and mathematical-statistical methodological approaches. The miners in the mining plants with steeply pitching coal, working under more unfavourable labour conditions, were found to experience particularly high AH rates. In all age groups of miners a high percentage of individuals with borderline AH was revealed. Testing of the coal mine occupational factors contribution to the development of AH in miners of basic occupations allow these to be considered potential risk factors.

By means of epidemiological, clinico-functional, experimental, pathomorphological, histological and mathematical-statistical methods the authors showed that hard physical work under conditions of heating microclimate promoted quick development and advance of coronary heart disease in deeply working coal miners. Negative dynamics of sudden coronary death (SCD) rate was established, its pathophysiological mechanisms were specified. SCD risk factors were singled out and arranged accordingly to their importance. SCD in miners was suggested to be considered as professionally conditioned state.

For optimal treatment IHD complicated by ventricular extrasystoles (VE) in the course of ambulatory treatment with antiarrhythmic membrane-stabilizing drugs, the authors evaluated dosage, combinations of rhythmilen, ethacirine, ethmorin with allapinin and obtained a stable antiarrhythmic effect. The pathogenetic aspects of VE were considered.

The authors studied autopsy protocols, microscopic and histochemical data on the heart for miners who had died suddenly. No positive trend in the sudden coronary death incidence in miners was reported. A great number of sudden deaths were registered in mines. The deaths are attributed to severe atherosclerosis responsible for irreversible changes in the myocardium, coronary vascular spasms, emergence of pathological agitation triggering lethal ischemia.

The article is devoted to coronary disease in miners of deep Donbass mines. Data of its prevalence, chemical and functional features are given. Rapid progress of the disease was found to correlate with unfavourable factors of occupational environment. Mechanisms of dangerous heart rythm disorders formation during the work are shown. The main points of the programme improving the health care of miners suffering from coronary heart disease are described.

The article contains a study of 529 myocardial infarction cases in coal miners with provisional assessments of their health states after the rehabilitation course. Inadequacy of the resort treatment procedures was established, the clinico-functional examinations of the patients were irregular and limited to one or two procedures, which hampered the objective assessment of the measures taken. The drug treatment procedures were also inadequate both in respect of the patients' health conditions and with regard to specific drug prescriptions, dosages and frequency of administration. The results of the prolonged study revealed that 50% rehabilitation cases were unduly handled and returned to clinic with health complications after 6 months. The rehabilitation course did not include the psychotherapeutic rehabilitation component, which would be of paramount importance for the patients under the new health circumstances. Out-patient admission epicrises were not performed whatsoever, or were of a low quality, thus accounting for future rehabilitation failures.

Among the factors producing effects on the formation of indexes of morbidity of the people working in Donbass, the main role is played by the ecological situation in the region, working conditions and lifestyle of the working people. On the basis of morbidity indexes analysis proposals and measures aimed at the preservation and improvement of health of the working people are formulated.

As a result of epidemiological and clinico-functional studies occupational peculiarities of ischemic heart disease (IHD) among miners were detected. The role of a number of industrial factors in the development of arrhythmia with unfavourable prognosis was assessed. Persons at risk for development and progress of IHD were identified. A method of dynamic control over their cardiovascular system was suggested. The findings of the study formed the basis for a complex follow-up programme for miners with IHD.

In the process of carrying out medikal checkups of miners a shop physician must take an active part in forming groups at risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD) and in ensuring dynamic preshift and postshift monitoring of the state of miners' cardiovascular system through the use of comprehensive methodological complex and further health promotion of this occupational group. Those attributed to the groups of extreme risk must discontinue their work in a mine. It was necessary to find some appropriate employment for them in order to avoid their contact with colliery occupational conditions. Early conditions of IHD by means of the suggested complex and timely appropriate employment promoted better diagnosis of atypical early forms of IHD and prevention of its complications.

Clinical and functional examination of the miners who suffered from coronary heart disease showed a higher ectopic activity of the myocardium during their work under underground conditions and during the subsequent 4 hours after its termination. It also indicated a significantly higher fatal cases of sudden coronary death in the miners in the aforementioned periods. To prevent the development of complications occurred in miners, the status of the cardiovascular system was proposed to be dynamically controlled.

The study is designed to develop and to test the procedure of expert assessment of prophylactic activity of health care units at shop physician's departments in mines. Volume and quality of preventive work greatly influence workers' morbidity rates, hence the logistic support of the shop physician's service is of primary importance. It is emphasized that in order to improve prophylactic activity it is necessary to use all the available resources for enjoying conventional forms of shop's medical service.