Effects of an antiarrhythmic agent, amiodarone (AM), on slow response action potentials and contraction of guinea pig ventricular muscle were examined. 2. AM (4.4 x 10(-5) M, 1.1 x 10(-4) M) significantly inhibited the maximum upstroke velocity of slow response action potentials and contraction. 3. As for action potential duration (APD), higher concentration (1.1 x 10(-4) M) of AM significantly shortened the APD, while low concentration (4.4 x 10(-5) M) had little effect on it. 4. These findings strongly suggest that AM blocks slow inward current inflow via Ca2+ channels in the ventricular muscle.