ABSTRACT
Post mortem examination of the heart revealed an extensively calcified mitral annulus, aortic and mitral leaflets, and epicardial coronary arteries. Calcific deposits in the epicardial coronary arteries, mitral valve annulus, and aortic valve cusps are common in older persons living in the Western world. Calcific deposits in these three regions of the heart are apparently extremely rare in long term vegetarians and in societies where the total serum cholesterol is 150 mg/dL, the low density lipoprotein cholesterol is 100 /dL, and the high density lipoprotein cholesterol is 20mg/dL. Adults with systemic hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and/or chronic hypercalcemia are prone to greater quantities of calcium in these three locations than those persons of similar age and gender without these conditions. Large calcific deposits in the mitral annular region may cause mitral regurgitation. In the setting of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, large calcific deposits in the mitral annular region may lead to mitral stenosis.
