Subcutaneous injection of 40 mg/kg isoproterenol is followed within 2 minutes by a fall in blood pressure and peripheral resistance, by tachycardia, and by an increase in cardiac output. It seems likely that these hemodynamic changes are a consequence of a direct action of isoproterenol on the myocardium. Isoproterenol also causes a significant increase in the oxygen consumption of the rats. The increased oxygen demand of the tissues may play a role in maintaining the hemodynamic changes for periods of more than an hour after isoproterenol. Signs of histological damage in the myocardium begin to appear without affecting the function of the cardiovascular system, as measured by the tests used.