MORPHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF CONGENITAL AND ACQUIRED HEART DEFECTS
Keywords:
heart defects, morphology, myocardium, valvular apparatus, remodeling, fibrosis.Abstract
Heart defects remain one of the most significant causes of cardiovascular
pathology and population disability, occupying a leading position in the structure of
congenital and acquired heart diseases. Despite significant advances in clinical
cardiology and cardiac surgery, the morphological aspects of the formation and
progression of heart defects continue to be of high scientific interest. The development
of heart defects is based on disturbances of embryogenesis, remodeling of the
myocardium and valvular apparatus, as well as changes in the microcirculatory bed and
extracellular matrix. Morphological remodeling includes hypertrophy and dilation of
cardiac chambers, fibrosis, disorganization of cardiomyocytes, and alterations in the
structure of the endocardium and valves. The aim of this review is to analyze current
literature data on the morphological features of congenital and acquired heart defects,
with an emphasis on histological and ultrastructural changes of the myocardium and
valvular apparatus. The presented data emphasize the significance of morphological
studies for understanding the pathogenesis of heart defects and for substantiating new
diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
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