Central hemodynamics was studied by echocardiography and integral body rheography in 32 healthy persons and in 136 patients with proven transmural myocardial infarction on days 1,7,21-28, and in 6 months after onset of infarction. Groups of patients with and without symptoms of heart failure in postinfarction period differed significantly by degree of changes of parameters of left ventricular systolic function. This difference existed beginning from day 1 of infarction. The probability of development of heart failure in postinfarction period could be estimated on days 1-7 of infarction by degree of lowering of stroke index and increase of end-diastolic and end-systolic left ventricular volumes. Increase of end-systolic left venrticular volume in acute phase of infarction was the earliest prognostic sign of development of heart failure in postinfarction period.