The cardiac dynamic consequences were evaluated of constant infusions of dobutamine and isoproterenol at graded dose levels into conscious, healthy instrumented dogs. Measurements were made of simultaneous changes in left ventricular internal diameter, pressure, aortic pressure and rate of rise of left ventricular pressure(dP/dt), as well as the left ventricular electrogram. From these primary variables, derived variables were computed using programs in a minicomputer system. The data showed that, with increasing doses of dobutamine there were significant linear increases in all measured indexes of myocardial contractility, such as the rate of rise of left ventricular pressure at a developed isovolumic pressure of 40 mm Hg (dP/dt/P40), mean velocity of left ventricular fiber shortening, ejection fraction and stroke work. These changes in myocardial contractility occurred without changes in end-diastolic volume, mean aortic pressure or heart rate when dobutamine was infused in doses of 5 to 20 mug/kg per min. Isoproterenol also produced linear changes in indexes of myocardial contractility but in doses of 0.02 to 0.10 mug/kg per min, it produced a significantly higher heart rate at any given level of contractility than that produced by dobutamine. Cardiac minute work (heart rate X stroke work) was increased by both drugs. However, with infusions of isoproterenol the amount of cardiac minute work was significantly limited because of the changes in heart rate, whereas with dobutamine cardiac minute work could be increased to a higher level as a function of changes in myocardial contractility alone without changes in heart rate. These data suggest that dobutamine selectively increases myocardial contractility.