We investigated the criteria for the coupling of the left ventricle (LV) and the arterial system to maximize LV stroke work (SW) and the transformation of LV pressure-volume area (PVA) to SW. We studied eight conscious dogs that were instrumented to measure LV pressure and determine LV volume from three ultrasonically determined dimensions. The LV end-systolic pressure (PES)-volume (VES) relation was determined by caval occlusion. Its slope (EES) was compared with the arterial elastance (EA) and determined as PES per stroke volume. At rest, with intact reflexes, EES/EA was 0.96 +/- 0.20 EES/EA was varied over a wide range (0.18-2.59) by the infusion of graded doses of phenylephrine and nitroprusside before and during administration of dobutamine. Maximum LV SW, at constant inotropic state and end-diastolic volume (VED), occurred when EES/EA equaled 0.99 +/- 0.15. At constant VED and contractile state, SW was within 20% of its maximum value when EES/EA was between 0.56 and 2.29. The conversion of LV PVA to SW increased as EES/EA increased. The shape of the observed relations of the SW to EES/EA and SW/PVA to EES/EA was similar to that predicted by the theoretical consideration of LV PES-VES and arterial PES-stroke volume relations. We conclude that the LV and arterial system produce maximum SW at constant VED when EES and EA are equal; however, the relation of SW to EES/EA has a broad plateau. Only when EA greatly exceeds EES does the SW fall substantially. However, the conversion of PVA to SW increases as EES/EA increases. These observations support the utility of analyzing LV-arterial coupling in the pressure-volume plane.