Aim of the study was to elucidate genetic markers associated with elevated risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD). We collected autopsy material during 1999 - 2001 in a process of forensic medical pathologo-anatomical examination of corpses of 182 men who had died suddenly in Octyabrsky district of Novosibirsk in the age of 25 - 64 years (mean age 53,6 +/- 7,9 years). We studied polymorphisms of the following genes: angiotensin converting enzyme - , glycoprotein IIb/IIIa - GPIIb/IIIa, alpha2b adrenoreceptor - ADRA2B, beta(1)-adrenoreceptor - ADRB1. Control comprised samples of population of men aged 25 - 35 and 55 - 64 years from the same district of Novosibirsk examined within framework of international WHO project MONICA. Comparison of frequencies of genotypes of polymorphism A1/A2 of GPIIb/IIIa gene in combined sample of population and group with SCD revealed in SCD group lowering of portion of A2/A2 homozygotes (5.0 and 1.2%, respectively, =0.029) and elevation of portion of A1/A2 heterozygotes (18.7 and 28.3%, respectively, =0.027). Odds ratio for a heterozygote to enter SCD group was 1.71 (95% confidence interval 1.0 to 2.77). Comparison of frequencies of genotypes and alleles of polymorphism A145G of ADRB1 gene in combined sample of population and group with SCD did not reveal any difference. Comparison of frequencies of polymorphism I/D of ACE gene in combined sample of population and group with SCD revealed significant lowering of frequencies of genotype I/I in SCD group (22.0 and 13.8%, respectively, p=0.033). There were no significant differences between SCD group and control in frequencies of studied polymorphism of alpha2b-adrenoreceptor gene.