Myocardial depression (measured by ventricular function curves on response to a fluid load) has been shown in 10 patients with acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis. Significant inadequate responses were found on evaluation of both the left and right heart. The increased pulmonary vascular resistance associated with adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) of this disease was shown to correlate inversely with pulmonary wedge pressure, thereby excluding myocardial failure and pulmonary edema as mechanisms for the production of the ARDS.