[Mineral content and morphology of heart muscle in different causes of death (author's transl)].

Mineral and water content of the right and left heart muscle were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in 93 autopsy cases. Sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium concentrations were measured after acid digestion of tissues. Marked differences of the element distribution of both ventricles are seen constantly, although a significant correlation between water content and sodium as well as potassium and magnesium concentrations in both ventricles in seen. Comparing multiple causes of death (cardiac and non-cardiac) there are no differences in the postmortem mineral contents of heart muscle. Age-dependent correlations of mineral concentrations (as seen by Burger, 1960) were not detectable in this investigation. Postmortem mineral analyses of human heart muscles are excessively influenced by modern intensive care. Most of our cases had several causes of death, one of which was to be declared as the main cause of death in the necropsy record. Postmortem chemical mineral analysis of heart muscle can give an exact description of local variations and-in special cases-signs of general disorders of mineral metabolism, which are not detected by exclusively histologic investigations.