RESEARCH AIM: Analysis of incidence, age and gender differences of deaths from acute myocardial infarction in the Split - Dalmatia County in the period of 1993 – 2001. The possible influence of meteorological parameters on mortality from acute myocardial infarction is investigated. The study specifically investigates the causes of the major increase in number of deaths in 1996 in relation to three years before and five years after 1996. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: The study is organized as a cross-sectional study. Data of deaths in the period of 1993 – 2001 were collected from the archives of the Croatian Institute for Public Health in Split. The data of hydro-meteorological parameters are collected in the Croatian Hydro meteorological Institute in Zagreb. The main income measures were registered fatal outcomes of patients whose cause of death was acute myocardial infarction. The main outcome measure of this study was the number of deaths from acute myocardial infarction. Inclusion criterion was death that was a direct result of acute myocardial infarction. Exclusion criteria were registered associated conditions or diseases that could be a separate cause of death. Secondary outcome measures were age and sex of deceased patients. For the statistical analysis of data, the program Statistica 7.0 (SPSS, Chicago, IL) was used. RESULTS: In the Split-Dalmatia County in the period of 1993 – 2001 6575 people died as the consequence of acute myocardial infarction. Of these, 3351 (51%) were male and 3224 (49%) women. There was a significant increase in the average mortality in 1996 (1057) in relation to the three preceding and following five years (690). Except of increasing number of deaths in the year 1996, there was a statistically significant disparity by sex and age of patients who died. Increasing number of deaths in 1996 is mainly at the expense of women and people older than 80 (P <0,001). The amount of precipitation (P = 0,003) and relative humidity of air (P = 0,045) were in statistically significant positive correlation with the number of deaths. The actual number of deaths is significantly above the expected number of deaths caused by high precipitation. CONCLUSIONS: In 1996 in Split-Dalamtia County statistically significant deviation was recorded from the usual pattern of mortality from acute myocardial infarction by frequency, age and sex. Increased mortality in 1996 was result of the increased number of deaths of women over 80. There was a proven link between increased precipitation and mortality in the year 1996. Other additional parameters that could lead to a major increase of mortality in the 1996 still remain unknown.