We investigated the hypothesis that Autonomic Information Flow (AIF) based predictors, reflecting short term and long term autonomic control, improve risk stratification in different clinical groups. The prognostic value of AIF measures was assessed in patients with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome MODS, after abdominal aorta surgery AAS, and after myocardial infarction MI in comparison to traditional HRV measures using ROC characteristics AUC(95%CI). Prognostic values were discriminated in MODS by AIF AUC=0.73(0.54,0.93) vs. TINN AUC=0.68(0.49, 0.90); after AAS with AIF AUC=0.73(0.62,0.84) vs. SDNNindex AUC=0.64(0.52,0.77); after MI AIF AUC=0.70(0.62, 0.77) vs. SDNNAUC=0.66(0.56, 0.74). We conclude that complex short term and long term cardiovascular control has an important prognostic value.