Myocardial energy metabolism during hypothermic potassium cardioplegia with blood as the cardioplegia vehicle was studied in eight patients undergoing aortic valve replacement. Cardiac arrest was induced with a single bolus infusion and maintained by continuous perfusion. Myocardial biopsies were taken from the left ventricle 10 min after aortic cross-clamping (a.c.) and immediately before declamping (d.c.) and were analyzed for ATP, creatine phosphate (CP), creatine (C) and lactate. The interindividual range of myocardial temperature was 15-21 degrees a.c. and 17-22 degrees C immediately before d.c. The ATP concentration decreased (12.7 +/- 3.9-10.4 +/- 3.5 mmol X kg-1 dry muscle), the lactate concentration increased (102 +/- 30-156 +/- 8 mmol X kg-1 d.m.), and the total creatine (CP + C) remained constant. Induction of cardioplegia by blood resulting in a mean myocardial temperature of 19 degrees C could not prevent anaerobic metabolism. The changes in ATP levels between 10 min after a.c. and just before d.c. were small, however, indicating that oxygen delivery during continuous blood cardioplegia at a myocardial temperature of c. 20 degrees C prevented further loss of ATP. The lactate concentration, however, increased markedly between 10 min after a.c. and d.c., demonstrating that a significant proportion of the total metabolism was anaerobic.