Platelet membrane glycoprotein IIb/IIIa plays an important role in platelet aggregation. A polymorphism of the gene encoding the IIIa subunit, with the two allele forms PLA1 and PLA2, has been identified. Some, but not all, studies suggest that the PLA2 allele confers an increased risk of suffering a myocardial infarction. Conversely, a recent study suggests that the PLA1 allele may contribute to early atherosclerosis and more rapid progression of stable coronary artery disease. To test whether these associations could be reproduced in a well-characterized sample of survivors of premature myocardial infarction, we examined 369 patients admitted to coronary care units in the Stockholm area who suffered a first myocardial infarction before the age of 60 years. There were no significant differences in extent of coronary artery disease according to PLA genotype group (based on quantitative coronary angiography). In addition, the frequencies of PLA1 and PLA2 alleles did not differ from those of 388 well-matched control subjects without coronary artery disease. These results suggest that the PLA1/PLA2 polymorphism of the platelet glycoprotein IIIa gene does not substantially contribute to the development of coronary atherosclerosis or the genetic susceptibility to premature myocardial infarction.