The corrected QT (QTc) interval was measured on the discharge electrocardiogram of 457 consecutive patients who had survived the first 28 days after a first acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The patients were followed for 4 years. The QTc interval was not related to long-term survival after the acute phase of AMI. Sixteen percent of the patients had a QTc interval above the normal upper limit of 440 ms. Of them, 71% survived 4 years and 77% with a shorter QTc interval survived (p = 0.31). When mortality per 100 patient-years was calculated for different QTc intervals, with 10 ms accuracy, no consistent relation between the 2 variables was seen. Results that indicate a strong relation between QTc-interval prolongation and sudden death after AMI should be reevaluated. The QTc interval is not a useful prognostic tool after AMI.