The calcium channel blocker nifedipine and the new phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor enoximone are used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Since both substances are acting on slow calcium channels and because systemic elimination of these two agents is dependent on oxidative drug metabolizing enzyme activity, this study was performed in order to investigate hemodynamic changes and effects on plasma levels when both substances are given simultaneously. Forty-five patients undergoing aortocoronary bypass grafting were randomly subdivided into three groups: (a) group (n = 15) received 0.3 micrograms/kg/min of nifedipine as an infusion (N patients); (b) group (n = 15) received 0.5 mg/kg of enoximone as a bolus (E patients); and (c) group (n = 15) received nifedipine and enoximone in the same dosages (E + N patients). In addition to various hemodynamic variables, plasma levels of nifedipine, enoximone, and enoximone sulfoxide were measured until the end of the operation. Injection of enoximone was followed by an increase in cardiac index and right ventricular ejection fraction, decrease in pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary capillary pressure, and systemic vascular resistance, whereas heart rate and mean arterial pressure remained almost unchanged. These changes were comparable for E and E + N patients. Plasma concentrations of enoximone and enoximone sulfoxide were not affected by nifedipine infusion and showed a comparable course in E and E + N patients. Nifedipine plasma level dropped to values less than 15 ng/ml at the end of extracorporeal circulation in N and E + N patients. It can be concluded that enoximone improved hemodynamics even in patients pretreated with nifedipine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)