The Changing Aetiology of Heart Disease

Abstract

Until very recently it was customary to classify heart disease under such structural headings as " aortic in- competence," "mitral stenosis," or " pericarditis." The last few decades have seen the development of knowledge of disordered function as well as of structure. The most satisfactory classifications of disease are those which are based on causes, for the good reason that effective prevention depends on knowledge of aetiology. At once, of course, one is up against the problem of