This study was designed to characterize left ventricular (LV) function and mass in a modified cardiomyopathy model in the dog in which right ventricular pacing rates are gradually increased throughout 38 days. On the last day of the pacing protocol, ejection fraction was reduced (25 +/- 3 vs. 60 +/- 1%) and LV end-diastolic diameter index (a ratio of LV end-diastolic diameter to body weight, 2.09 +/- 0.02 vs. 1.79 +/- 0.08 mm/kg) and LV mass index (a ratio of LV mass to body weight, 5.2 +/- 0.3 vs. 4.3 +/- 0.2 g/kg) were greater than in the normal dogs (P < 0.05, respectively). Cardiac filling pressures increased, and LV diastolic function and coronary blood flow were impaired. After 4 wk of recovery from the progressive pacing protocol, LV end-diastolic diameter index (2.12 +/- 0.06 mm/kg) and LV mass index (5.6 +/- 0.2 g/kg) remained increased. Ejection fraction was improved (38 +/- 4%) but still depressed. LV diastolic function, coronary blood flow, and cardiac filling pressures returned to levels seen in the normal dogs. This modified cardiomyopathy model associated with LV hypertrophy complements the conventional tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy model without LV hypertrophy.