The hemodynamic effects of nylidrin were observed in a group of normal human subjects and in the constantly perfused dog forelimb. In the human, heart rate and cardiac output increased following acute intra‐arterial administration of the drug; total peripheral resistance, mean circulation time, and arterial blood pressure decreased. The plasma and central blood volumes and hematocrit remained unchanged, whereas blood volume decreased; stroke volume and venous pressure showed no consistent change. In the dog forelimb, acute local elevation of plasma nylidrin concentration greatly decreased resistance to blood flow in the small vessels over a wide dose range. It appears that there are two primary effects of this agent following its intra‐arterial administration: one, to decrease total peripheral resistance; and two, a direct effect on the heart to increase cardiac output. In the dosage used and the route administered, there were no clinically significant effects on heart rate or blood pressure. These results suggest that nylidrin exerts these local vascular and myocardial actions by stimulation of the beta‐adrenergic receptor sites.