Reoxygenation after 120-min substrate-free anoxia causes sudden hypercontracture in isolated rat cardiomyocytes. Reoxygenated-hypercontracted cardiomyocytes maintain their sarcolemmal integrity as indicated by the absence of enzyme release and reestablish a nearly normal free energy change of ATP hydrolysis within 15 min [Siegmund, B., A. Koop, T. Klietz, P. Schwartz, and H. M. Piper.Am J. Physiol. 258 (Heart Circ. Physiol. 27): H285-H291, 1990]. In the same model, it was now investigated whether a temporary contractile blockade by 20 mM 2,3-butanedione monoxime (BDM) can prevent reoxygenation-induced hypercontracture. When BDM was present during 120-min anoxia and the subsequent 15-min reoxygenation, hypercontracture could be prevented. The anoxic changes of high-energy phosphate contents, the free energy change of ATP hydrolysis, and the ultrastructure of the cells remained unaffected by the presence of BDM. When BDM was applied anoxically immediately before reoxygenation, it also prevented hypercontracture. Contracture still remained absent when BDM was washed out after the first 15 min of reoxygenation. These results demonstrate that a temporary contractile blockade (15 min) at the onset of reoxygenation prevents hypercontracture in anoxic-reoxygenated cardiomyocytes. This result, the energetic recovery, and the sarcolemmal integrity of cardiomyocytes in anoxia-reoxygenation demonstrate that reoxygenation-induced hypercontracture is not based on an already irreversible cell damage.