Background Haemostasis plays a major part in the process initiating a myocardial infarction. The impact of haemostatic variables on long term prognosis is unknown.

Objective To evaluate von Willebrand factor (vWF), tissue plasminogen activator antigen (t-PA) and its activity before and after venous occlusion, plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1), dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS), and established clinical risk factors as long term predictors for reinfarction and mortality.

Patients 123 consecutive survivors of myocardial infarction followed up for 10 years.

Design Study entry took place between 1982 and 1983. Fifty seven patients died (54 of cardiovascular disease) during the mean observation time of 10 years.

Results Cox’s univariate regression analysis showed that cardiovascular mortality was significantly associated with age, hypertension, previous history of angina pectoris, DHEAS, mass concentration of t-PA, and vWF. These associations were significant for vWF and mass concentration of t-PA after adjusting for age and hypertension.

Conclusions A low concentration of DHEAS and high levels of the endothelially derived haemostatic variables vWF and mass concentration of t-PA are predictors of cardiovascular mortality in survivors of myocardial infarction. This association is independent of established clinical risk factors for mass concentration of t-PA and vWF.