In order to clarify the hemodynamic characteristics in essential hypertension (HT) with angina pectoris (AP), systolic time intervals (STIs) were measured in 13 normal subjects (N), 23 patients with AP, 43 HT (WHO stage I: 13, WHO stage II: 23, WHO stage III: 7) and 19 HT with AP (WHO I: 9, WHO II: 10). The ET/PEP ratio was 2.41 +/- 0.24 in N, 2.70 +/- 0.34 in AP (p less than 0.02, vs N), 2.25 +/- 0.29 in WHO I, 2.13 +/- 0.25 in WHO II (p less than 0.01, vs N), 1.54 +/- 0.37 in WHO III (p less than 0.001, vs N), 2.68 +/- 0.32 in WHO I with AP (p less than 0.05, vs N: p less than 0.005, vs HT) and 2.71 +/- 0.30 in WHO II with AP (p less than 0.02, vs N: p less than 0.001, vs HT). Ejection time index (ETI) was 385 +/- 15 msec in N, 399 +/- 16 in AP (p less than 0.05, vs N), 387 +/- 13 in WHO I, 385 +/- 15 in WHO II, 363 +/- 25 in WHO III (p less than 0.05, vs N), 393 +/- 16 in WHO I with AP and 402 +/- 15 in WHO II with AP (p less than 0.05, vs N: p less than 0.01, vs HT). Pre-ejection period index (PEPI) was 142 +/- 10 msec in N, 135 +/- 11 in AP, 148 +/- 12 in WHO I, 156 +/- 13 in WHO II (p less than 0.005, vs N), 192 +/- 24 in WHO III (p less than 0.001, vs N), 134 +/- 13 in WHO I with AP (p less than 0.05, vs HT) and 136 +/- 9 in WHO II with AP (p less than 0.001, vs HT). These results showed that the ET/PEP ratio in HT with AP was significantly higher than that in HT alone, and this increase in ET/PEP ratio was mainly due to the shortening of PEP interval in WHO stage I and the lengthening of ET in addition to it in WHO stage II.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)