Risk factors for death after cardiac transplantation performed at the University of Alabama at Birmingham from January 1981 to July 1985 included (by multivariate analysis) higher calculated preoperative pulmonary vascular resistance (early and constant phases), morphology of cardiomyopathy (versus ischemic heart disease) (constant phase only) and black race (constant phase). Overall actuarial survival was 71% at 1 year and 48% at 3 years (including azathioprine and cyclosporine eras). The hazard function for death was highest immediately after operation and declined rapidly thereafter, merging with a constant phase of risk at about 3 months. The most favorable group for long-term survival was the group of white patients with ischemic heart disease and low pulmonary vascular resistance. When such patients had a pulmonary vascular resistance less than 3 units.m2, the 3 year survival rate exceeded 85%. The most common causes of death were acute rejection (24%) and infection (17%). The risk of infection remained highest during the first several months after any period of augmented immunosuppression.