Modulation of coronary blood flow and cardiac function by alpha 1-adrenergic receptors was examined in dogs during strenuous exercise. Fifteen dogs were chronically instrumented to measure left circumflex blood flow, heart rate, regional left ventricular function (systolic shortening, and rate of shortening), and global left ventricular function (left ventricular pressure, and dP/dt). The specific postsynaptic alpha 1-receptor blocker prazosin (0.5 mg) and nonselective alpha-receptor blocker phentolamine (1.0 mg) were injected through an indwelling circumflex artery catheter to produce local adrenergic blockade of the posterior left ventricular region during exercise. Exercise significantly increased heart rate, left ventricular systolic pressure, dP/dt, segment shortening and rate of shortening, and coronary blood flow. Both prazosin and phentolamine caused similar additional increases in dP/dt by 21 +/- 4%, in rate of shortening in the posterior region by 37 +/- 6%, and in myocardial O2 consumption by 26 +/- 11%, which were associated with a 21 +/- 3% increase in coronary flow during exercise but no change in O2 extraction. Similar results were obtained when dogs were beta-blocked with either atenolol (1.0 mg ic) or propranolol (1.0 mg ic) prior to exercise. These data suggest that an alpha 1-vasoconstriction modulates O2 delivery to myocardial tissue and limits both coronary vasodilation and cardiac function during exercise.