Fig. 1. (A ) Original traces demonstrating the effect of propofol on steady state shortening (top ) and intracellular Ca²⁺concentration ([Ca²⁺]ⁱ) (bottom ) in a rat ventricular myocyte. Propofol was added to individual field-stimulated myocytes at the concentrations depicted in the figure. Changes in cell length were measured in micrometers. [Ca²⁺]ⁱwas measured as the 340/380 ratio. (B ) Summarized data for the effects of propofol on steady state shortening and [Ca²⁺]ⁱ. Results are expressed as percent of control. Values represent mean ± standard error of the mean. *  P < 0.05 compared with control. n = 14 cells from 6 hearts.