Verapamil inhibits calcium influx through the slow calcium canals. The coronary an haemodynamic effects of intravenous Verapamil were studied in 8 patients with chronic coronary insufficiency documented by coronary arteriography. The following measurements were made in spontaneous rhythm and during atrial pacing under basal conditions and 10 minutes after intravenous Verapamil (0.10 to 0.17 mg/kg) relayed with a continuous infusion of 5 x 10(-3) mg/Kg/mn: heart rate, cardiac output, left ventricularr pressure (Millar 5 F micromanometer), femoral artery pressure, coronary sinus flow by continuous thermodilution, oxygen and lactate concentrations in arterial and arterio-venous oxygen difference, and index of myocardial oxygen consumption and the coefficient of lactate extraction were then calculated. The coronary and haemodynamic effects of atrial pacing were similar before and after Verapamil at a given rate. Left ventricula end diastolic pressure decreased, cardiac output and total systemic resistance were unchanged, dP/dt max increased but to a lesser degree after Verapamil (P less than 0.05). Coronary arterio-venous oxygen difference decreased after Verapamil. The coronary and haemodynamic effects of Verapamil were similar in spontaneous rhythm and during atrial pacing. In spontaneous rhythm, the heart rate and left ventricular end diastolic pressure increased. In spontaneous and paced rhythm, femoral artery pressure, total systemic resistance and dP/dt max decreased. Cardiac output remained the same. Myocardial oxygen consumption decreased mainly because of a reduced coronary arterio-venous oxygen difference and because of unchanged coronary flow in spontaneous rhythm oxygen consumption seems to have a favourable effect on the myocardial energy equilibrium as shown by the increased coefficient of lactate extraction during atrial pacing after Verapamil. This study shows the negative inotropic and arterial vasodilator effects of Verapamil to be responsible for the reduced myocardial oxygen consumption. It also caused coronary artery vasodilation.