Left ventricular and myocardial performance were analyzed in 9 patients with chronic volume overload by mitral regurgitation from biplane cineventriculograms, simultaneous pressure recordings and cardiac output (thermodilution method) determinations. In spite of a considerable regurgitant fraction (49 +/- 17% of total stroke volume) cardiac index on the average is normal (CI = 3.3 +/- 0.7 l . min-1). The main compensatory mechanism to maintain cardiac ouput in hypertorphy (WED = 1.1 +/- 0.2 cm; LVMI = 216 +/- 62 g . m-2; LVMI/EDVI = 1.3 +/- 0.3 g . ml-1) and dilatation (EDVI = 163 +/- 37 ml . m-2). An increase of preload is of minor importance (PLVED = 15 +/- 7 mmHg; sigma ED = (40 +/- 19) x 10(3) dyn . cm-2). Left ventricular enlargement and wall mass are related to the degree of clinical heart failure (NYHA). Enddiastolic volume on the average is more increased than total stroke volume (89 +/- 31 ml . m-2). Ejection fraction (EF = 54 +/- 7%) was depressed despite a normal afterload (sigma tej = (171 +/- 37 x 10(3) dyn. cm-2; sigma max = (247 +/- 48 x 10(3) dyn . cm-2). The reduced ejection fraction and diminished myocardial power are related to an impairment of myocardial function (VMW . sigma tej = (83 +/- 39) x 10(3) dyn . cm-2 . s-1; VMW . sigma tej/ln sigma ED = 7.9 +/- 3.6 x 10(3) dyn . cm-2 . s-1). In comparable degrees of heart failure myocardial function is more compromised in patients with mitral than with aortic regurgitation.