In order to evaluate the right atrial function in patients with ischemic heart-disease, we studied the superior vena caval blood flow velocity using pulsed Doppler echocardiography. The subjects included 31 patients with anteroseptal infarction (ANT). 23 with inferior or inferoposterior infarction (INF+POS), 27 with effort angina pectoris (EAP) and 15 with vasospastic angina pectoris (VAP). Th systolic peak flow velocity (PFVs) was significantly reduced only in INF+POS compared with those in ANT, EAP and VAP (36.8±1.8cm/sec vs 46.9±2.1cm/sec. 46.4±2.1cm/sec and 42.6±1.9cm/sec, p<0.05, respectively). No significant difference in diastolic peak flow velocity (PFVd) was found between the 4 groups. PFVs/PFVd was significantly reduced only in INF+POS compared with those in ANT. EAP, and VAP (1.390.05 vs 1.75±0.08, 1.76±0.09, and 1.62±0.09, p<0.05, respectively). These results suggested that INF+POS caused impairment of the right atrial reservoir function.