The effects of cardiac ischemia-reperfusion and $eta$-adrenergic stimulation on metabolic function and energetics were investigated in Lan gendorff-perfused spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) hearts. Sarcoplasmic reticulum {TEX}$Ca^{2+}${/TEX}-dependent ATPase and cardiac lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) are additionally studied. The perfusion medium (1.0 mM {TEX}$Ca^{2+}${/TEX}) contained 5 mM glucose(+5 U/L insulin) and 2 mM pyruvate as substrates. Global ischemia was induced by reducing perfusion pressure of 100 to 40 cm {TEX}$H_{2}${/TEX}O, followed by 20 min reperfusin. Isoproterenol (ISO, 1$mu$M) was infused for 10 min. Coronary vascular resistance and myocardial oxygen consumption ({TEX}$MVO_{2}${/TEX}) of SHR were increased in parallel with enhanced venous lactate during ischemia and reperfusion compared to those of Sprague Dawley (SD) hearts. Although ischemia-induced increase in venous lactate and combined adenosine plus inosine was abolished, coronary vasodilation produced in SD during reperfusion. In SHR, depressed reactive hyperemia was associated with a fall in cardiac ATP and CrP/Pi ratio and a rise in intracellular lactate/Pyruvate ratio. On the other hand, ISO produced coronary functional hyperemia and an increase in {TEX}$MVO_{2}${/TEX}. However, these responses were less than those in SHR hearts. The ATPase activity of SHR was attenuated in free {TEX}$Ca^{2+}${/TEX} concentrations used under basal condition and with ISO compared to that of SD. Venous lactate output and cardiac LDH activity were augmented in SHR as influenced by ISO. These results demonstrate that coronary reactive and functional hyperemia was dpressed in SHR, which cold be explained by alterations in the cytosolic phosphorylation potential and the cytosolic redox state manipulated by LDH, and by abnormal free calcium handling.