The effect of PTCA on global and regional left ventricular systolic function, isovolumic relaxation, chamber and muscle stiffness were studied in 30 patients with angina pectoris, previous non-Q wave anterior myocardial infarction (AMI) and significant stenosis of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). In 11 of the 30 patients the condition was stable, but it was unstable in 19. Left ventricular angiograms were obtained before and 4.85 +/- 3.67 months after PTCA. The RAO was in the 30 degree projection, with the silhouette of the left ventricle sliced into 90 regions; changes in left ventricular volume, pressure and anterior wall thickness during the full cardiac cycle, together with dp/dt were demonstrated. After PTCA, global ejection fraction increased from 68.77 +/- 5.96% to 76.57 +/- 3.18%, P < 0.001. Impaired contractility was found in 29/90 (32.2%) regions before PTCA and in 5/90 (5.6%) after PTCA, P < 0.001. The time constant of the isovolumic pressure fall decreased after PTCA (52.56 +/- 17.40 ms vs 39.61 +/- 11.26 ms, P < 0.01). Elastic chamber stiffness coefficient decreased (0.022 +/- 0.003 vs 0.008 +/- 0.004, P < 0.001) and peak rate of left ventricular filling increased (319.0 +/- 107.9 ml.min-1 vs 396.8 +/- 201.4 ml.min-1, P < 0.05) after PTCA. The muscle stiffness coefficient was within normal values before and did not change after PTCA. The study findings show that in patients with persistent angina pectoris after non-Q wave AMI, complex systolic and diastolic ischaemic dysfunction occurs. This dysfunction can be reversed after successful PTCA of LAD.