Fuchsinophilic degeneration of myocardium in patients with intracranial lesions.

Fuchsinophilic myocardial degeneration is described in 12 per cent of I69 patients dying of strokes, head injuries, brain tumours, and intracranial infection. This may have resulted from excessive secretion of catecholamines, after sympathetic stimulation, and three possible methods of preventing such damage are suggested. There is no evidence fro;n a study of the incidence of subendocardial haemorrhage, peptic lesions, and pulmonary oedema that increased activity of the autonomic nervous system caused the heart damage. The significance of this lesion, and of focal myocytolysis, to the recipient of a heart transplant is discussed.