To examine the interaction between normal and nonischemic areas of the left ventricle during acute ischemia, we implanted midwall ultrasonic segment length gauges in the ischemic zone and in nonischemic areas of the canine left ventricle. During acute ischemia, end-diastolic pressure and segment length in the nonischemic areas increased. There was no change from control in the segment length at the time of aortic valve opening and closure. Thus, in nonischemic areas, total segment shortening, as measured by the percent change in segment length from the time of end-diastole to aortic valve closure, increased. This was due to an increase in isovolumic shortening (end-diastole to aortic valve opening) with no change in ejection shortening (aortic valve opening to closure). The progressive increase in isovolumic shortening in nonischemic areas over time was directly paralleled by the progressive development of the isovolumic lengthening or bulge in the ischemic zone. Nonischemic areas, whether adjacent, on the opposite wall, or distant to the ischemic zone, all behaved similarly. Adrenergic blockade did not qualitatively alter these findings. We conclude that acute ischemia induces a mechanical disadvantage which is greater than just the loss of contractile function by the ischemic segment. Despite the apparent hyperfunction of nonischemic areas, the increased total segment shortening is expended in stretching the ischemic zone during isovolumic systole. As a result, there is no significant "compensatory" increase in ejection shortening in nonischemic areas.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)