The characteristics and the prognosis in 921 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) admitted to one single hospital are described and related to whether they were treated in the coronary care unit or not. Patients treated in the coronary care unit (n = 779) had a 1-year mortality rate of 26% as compared with 41% for patients treated in general wards (n = 115; p < 0.001) and 74% for patients treated in the intensive care unit (n = 27; p < 0.001). Patients treated outside the coronary care unit had a different risk factor pattern including a higher age and a higher prevalence of a previous cardiovascular disease. Independent clinical risk indicators for death among patients in the coronary care unit were in order of significance, high age (p < 0.001), arrhythmia on admission (p < 0.01), acute congestive heart failure on admission (p < 0.01) and a history of diabetes mellitus (p < 0.05). In patients treated in general wards, the only risk indicator for death was a history of congestive heart failure.