Pathomorphology of the heart conduction system: comparative study during increase in left or right ventricular afterload.

Pathomorphology of the peripheral compartments of the heart conduction system under conditions of increased left or right ventricular afterload is characterized by interstitial edema, hemorrhages, and reversible and irreversible focal lesions. The percentage of damaged conduction cardiomyocytes increases in the wall of hemodynamically overloaded ventricle and in the ventricular septum. These changes are more pronounced in cases when the afterload increase is complicated by heart failure development. Acute dilatation of the heart and distention of the myocardium are events of great specific significance in the genesis of the conduction system disorders developing under conditions of increased right ventricular afterload in comparison with those developing under conditions of increase left ventricular afterload. These data attest the presence of a pathomorphological base for the appearance of arrhythmias during the acute phase of pressure overload of the heart, especially in cases when it is aggravated by heart failure.