Fig. 7. Time course of the cardiac efficiency index (heart rate ·[systolic − diastolic left ventricular pressure]/mitochondrial oxygen consumption) for each of the five groups. The index was reversibly decreased during sevoflurane exposure. 5-Hydroxydecanoate (5-HD) before, during, and after sevoflurane exposure did not alter this decrease. 5-HD alone had no significant effect on the cardiac efficiency index. The index steadily improved in all ischemia groups during the first 30 min of reperfusion but remained below nonischemia time control (CON) values. Only anesthetic preconditioning (APC) hearts were not different from CON hearts by the end of the experiment. See figure 2for statistical symbols.