The relationship between survival and cardiac responsiveness to therapy aimed at achieving supranormal values for cardiac index, oxygen delivery and oxygen consumption (cardiac index (CI) > 4.5 l/min/m2, oxygen delivery (DO2) > 600 ml/min/m2, and oxygen consumption (VO2) > 170 ml/min/m2), has been investigated in a heterogeneous group of critically ill patients. Thirty-two patients were prospectively studied and divided into survivors and non-survivors. Cardiac reserve was assessed by determining changes in CI, left ventricular stroke work index (LVSWI) and cardiac power output (CPO) in response to optimal fluid administration and inotropic stimulation with dobutamine. On admission LVSWI and CPO were significantly higher in survivors (P < 0.05), despite no significant differences in pulmonary artery occlusion pressure (PAOP). In response to fluid CI, CPO and LVSWI increased significantly in survivors (P < 0.01), but not in non-survivors. Following optimal fluid administration, survivors achieved significantly higher values for CI, LVSWI (P < 0.01), and CPO (P < 0.001) than non-survivors. At maximum resuscitation all three variables were significantly higher in survivors than in non-survivors (P < 0.001). The dose of dobutamine administered to non-survivors (median (range) 100 (5-200)) was significantly greater (P < 0.001) than that given to the survivors (median (range) 10 (0-25)). The dose of dobutamine was limited by complications in 12 of the non-survivors. These observations suggest that cardiac reserve is an important determinant of outcome following critical illness. In unresponsive patients attempts to achieve supranormal oxygen delivery and consumption with massive inotropic support may not only be ineffective but frequently precipitates tachydysrhythmias and myocardial ischaemia.