The cardiovascular effects of the administration of nifedipine and nifedipine combined with propranolol were examined in 15 monkeys during 0.75 and 1.25 MAC of anesthesia with isoflurane, enflurane, or halothane. Hemodynamic variables measured included heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), maximum rate of increase of the Left ventricular pressure (max LV dP/dt), and thermodilution cardiac output (CO). The infusion of nifedipine at a rate adequate to produce therapeutic blood levels during 0.75 MAC with each anesthetic decreased MAP and SVR, but had no effect on cardiac index (CI), max LV dP/dt, or HR. Increasing the anesthetic concentration from 0.75 to 1.25 MAC during nifedipine administration decreased HR and MAP in all groups and decreased CI with halothane and enflurane, but not with isoflurane. Addition of propranolol by infusion in amounts adequate to produce 75% beta-adrenergic blockade caused a further depression of CI, max LV dP/dt, HR, and MAP. However, the hemodynamic depression was significantly greater with halothane and enflurane than with isoflurane. Intravenous administration of calcium chloride (10 mg/kg) after calcium channel and beta-adrenergic blockade only partially reversed the hemodynamic depression that occurred with all three anesthetics. It was concluded that acute loading with nifedipine with and without propranolol exerts a greater cardiovascular depressant effect during enflurane or halothane anesthesia than during isoflurane anesthesia. The myocardial depressant effects of nifedipine and propranolol myocardial depressant effects of nifedipine and propranolol may be synergistic with the depressant effects of potent inhalation anesthetics.