The aim of the study was to determine clinical and demographic features that are significant for prognosis after the first-ever myocardial infarction (MI). Kaunas men and women aged 25 - 64 years, admitted to Kaunas hospitals due to their first-ever MI during 1983 - 1992 and with the first coded electrocardiogram (ECG) were enrolled into the study. The Kaunas ischemic heart disease (IHD) register was the source of data, ECGs were coded using the Minnesota Code, and deaths were identified via prospective death s register. Factors significantly increasing the risk of death from IHD during the first year after first-ever inferior MI were age (p=0.01), atrial flutter or fibrillation (p=0.02). In patients with Q wave in anterior site the risk of death from IHD was increased not only by age, but also by acute heart failure - 3.74-fold (p=0.01), history of previous stroke - 3.82 (p=0.046), and history of diabetes - 2.53 (p=0.04).