The physiopathological mechanisms resulting in increased left ventricular pressures in acute cardiac failure with normal systolic function are not well understood. Although coronary artery disease is commonly associated with acute episodes, the diagnostic value of troponin I measurement and the prevalence of ischaemia as the predisposing factor are not known. Twenty coronary patients (mean age 77 +/- 9 years) in acute cardiac failure with left ventricular ejection fractions of 50% or over and without angina, were studied retrospectively. The diagnostic value of troponin I (cTnI, AxSYM, method) was assessed by comparing with a control group of 16 acute cardiac failure patients without coronary disease. The frequency of hypertension and diabetes in the coronary group was 50 and 45% respectively. At the time of investigation, the pulmonary capillary and systemic arterial pressures were comparable in the coronary patients irrespective of the cTnl value. At threshold levels of 0.5 microgram/l, cTnl had a specificity of 100% and confirmed ischaemia in 60% of the coronary patients. Ischaemia was the commonest predisposing factor for increased cardiac pressures. Over a 268 +/- 101 days follow-up period, half the coronary patients were readmitted for acute cardiac failure and a third of them died. The authors conclude that silent ischaemia is a common predisposing factor for acute cardiac failure in coronary patients with normal systolic function and troponin I measurement is a useful diagnostic help.