Chemokines, including RANTES, play a crucial role in the processes of inflammation during cardiovascular disorders, including myocardial infarction, disease progression and complications. This study aimed to evaluate the role of RANTES -403G/A polymorphism and levels in circulation in processes of development and progression of myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock. A total of 609 patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, 43 patients with cardiogenic shock and 130 control subjects were enrolled in the study. RANTES -403G/A promoter polymorphism and baseline serum RANTES levels were analyzed. In the present study, we associated RANTES -403G/A promoter polymorphism with acute heart failure in patients with myocardial infarction (p = 0.006) and ejection fraction 3 months after MI onset (p = 0.02). Further, a difference in circulating RANTES levels among controls and STEMI subjects, and a relation of serum levels with acute heart failure was observed (p = 0.03, p = 0.003, respectively). We found a significant difference when comparing cardiogenic shock patients and controls (p < 0.001), with the most significant difference between cardiogenic shock and AHF subgroup of STEMI patients (p < 0.001). We observed a decreasing tendency of serum RANTES levels with the severity of myocardial infarction and progression, with the lowest levels in patients with cardiogenic shock (cutoff level ≥80.4 ng/ml). Our results suggest the role of RANTES as a potential biomarker of cardiogenic shock and acute heart failure in the hospital phase after myocardial infarction.