Rationale: Sudden death is an urgent problem of modern public health care, occupying the leading positions in terms of prevalence in the Russian Federation. A wide range of its causes, scarcity of morphologic data cause the complexity of diagnosis and interpretation of pathologic changes at autopsy. This article presents an epidemiologic analysis of the causes of sudden death in a group of young people. Purpose: To provide a forensic medical description of cases of sudden death of young people based on data from forensic autopsies conducted at the Bureau of Medical Examinations of the Moscow City Health Department. Materials and methods: A sample study of 48 corpses in cases of VS PMV aged from 18 to 44 years was carried out on the basis of the Forensic Medical Examination Bureau of the Moscow Department of Health. We studied in detail the protocols for examining the corpse at the scene of the incident, medical documentation, performed an extended description of the external and internal examination of the corpse, and collected material for histological, histochemical and immunohistochemical studies. Results: The main cause of death of VS LMV was pathology of the cardiovascular system. In a number of cases of death, an asthenic type of constitution was established with the following signs: high stature, an elongated chest with an acute epigastric angle, poorly defined subcutaneous fatty tissue, weight less than the age norm, narrow shoulders. Pathological changes were identified in the sternum, spine, limbs, dental status and internal organs, which corresponded to the stigma of connective tissue dysplasia. A correlation was noted between VS LMV and asthenic skeletopathy against the background of exposure to extreme factors (physical stress, psycho-emotional stress and previous infectious diseases). In most cases of VS LMV, pathological changes in blood vessels were diagnosed. Conclusion: Thus, the development of a modern comprehensive scientific and methodological approach is required to assess pathomorphological changes in VS LMV. Key words: sudden death, young people, cardiovascular diseases.