Pathology of atherosclerotic heart disease in sudden death. I. Organizing thrombosis and acute coronary vessel lesions.

The significance of organizing thrombosis was investigated in 121 cases of sudden death with atherosclerotic heart disease. Organizing thrombosis was observed in one-third of the cases, and sites at which it was present showed a higher prevalence of acute lesions -- thrombus, plaque rupture, and hemorrhage -- than sites at which it was not present. Acute and subacute coronary lesions were almost entirely restricted to vessels with 75% or greater obstruction. Evidence was presented suggesting that the organization of thrombosis in the coronary arteries was a more extended process than that observed in peripheral arteries.