Abstract: TdT- mediated Dutp nick end labeling (TUNEL) method was applied to detect apoptosis of myocardium of corpses dying from cardiac death. For arteriosclerotic coronary heart death, diffused apoptosis was observed around the border zones of histologically infarcted my- ocardium, and in the epithelial and smooth muscle of arteries. Few apoptosis cells were present for hypertensive heart death, and none for corpses dying from falling and hanging. Myocardium apoptosis may provide a new target for heart failure.

Key words: ischemia, apoptosis, heart failure