To determine the effects of long-term beta-adrenergic receptor blockade on adult rats with myocardial infarction, we studied 24 female Sprague-Dawley rats with myocardial infarction induced at 20-22 weeks of age. Two days after surgery, the animals were randomized to receive either propranolol (750 mg/l) in their drinking water or water alone for 5 weeks. Plastic, embedded, longitudinal and cross sections of septum (1 micron thick) were prepared for morphometric measurements. In untreated rats, infarction was followed by myocardial hypertrophy, as shown by significant increases in septal area (23%), myocyte length (19%), cross-sectional area (20%), and volume (43%) (p less than or equal to 0.05). In rats with and without infarction, beta-blockade resulted in decreased myocyte dimensions and increased left ventricular cavity dimensions. Propranolol had special effects in rats with infarction, resulting in significant blunting of increased cross-sectional area (15% less, p = 0.04) and a greater increase in left ventricular cavity dimensions (38% more, p = 0.04). Thus, propranolol blunts myocardial hypertrophy and increases left ventricular cavity dimensions in rats with myocardial infarction.