Pimobendan (UD-CG 115) is a long-acting positive inotropic drug with arterio- and venodilator properties. To determine to what extent this new agent is able to affect contractile function in previously ischemic areas of the left ventricle (LV), the effects of pimobendan on global and regional LV function were studied in eight conscious dogs, 2 days after a 2-h coronary occlusion followed by reperfusion. Before pimobendan, percentage of systolic shortening and mean velocity of shortening were lower in reperfused segments than in control areas (0.41 +/- 0.17 vs. 0.93 +/- 0.07 s-1 and 7 +/- 3 vs. 15 +/- 1%, respectively; both p less than 0.05). Infusion of 1 mg of pimobendan significantly improved peak + dP/dt (3202 +/- 372 to 3848 +/- 498 mm Hg/s; p less than 0.05) and ejection time (166 +/- 13 to 156 +/- 15 ms; p less than 0.05). Cumulative infusion up to 2.5 mg further improved these indexes to 5199 +/- 934 mm Hg/s and to 125 +/- 11 ms, (respectively; both p less than 0.05) without affecting mean arterial pressure (91 +/- 14 to 93 +/- 22 mm Hg; NS). Mean velocity of shortening rose to 1.18 +/- 0.09 s-1 (p less than 0.05) in control segments and to 0.62 +/- 0.18 s-1 (p less than 0.05) in reperfused segments. The ratio between end-systolic pressure and length increased by 26 +/- 9% (p less than 0.05) in the reperfused segments and by 20 +/- 8% (p less than 0.05) in control areas.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)