Hemostatic changes and hyperestrogenemia have been reported in men during myocardial ischemia and acute myocardial infarction. Because marked augmentation of Hageman factor (factor XII) titer is induced by estrogen intake in humans, we studied the factors participating in the surface-mediated reactions of clotting in patients with documented acute myocardial infarction. We report lower coagulant titers of Hageman factor, prekallikrein, high molecular weight kininogen, and plasma thromboplastin antecedent (factor XI) in the plasma samples of patients with acute myocardial infarction than in control samples. Further, the plasma estradiol titers of patients with acute myocardial infarction were not significantly different from those of controls. In contrast, the prolactin concentration of patients with acute myocardial infarction was elevated. These data suggest that other nonhormonal factors such as excessive consumption may influence the observed reduction in the titers of surface-mediated clotting factors in acute myocardial infarction.