The changes in cardiac function caused by calcium overload are reviewed. Intracellular Ca²⁺ may increase in different structures [e.g. sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), cytoplasm and mitochondria] to an excessive level which induces electrical and mechanical abnormalities in cardiac tissues. The electrical manifestations of Ca²⁺ overload include arrhythmias caused by oscillatory (V_os) and non-oscillatory (V_ex) potentials. The mechanical manifestations include a decrease in force of contraction, contracture and aftercontractions. The underlying mechanisms involve a role of Na⁺ in electrical abnormalities as a charge carrier in the Na⁺-Ca²⁺ exchange and a role of Ca²⁺ in mechanical toxicity. Ca²⁺ overload may be induced by an increase in [Na⁺]_i through the inhibition of the Na⁺-K⁺ pump (e.g. toxic concentrations of digitalis) or by an increase in Ca²⁺ load (e.g. catecholamines). The Ca²⁺ overload is enhanced by fast rates. Purkinje fibers are more susceptible to Ca²⁺ overload than myocardial fibers, possibly because of their greater Na⁺ load. If the SR is predominantly Ca²⁺ overloaded, V_os and fast discharge are induced through an oscillatory release of Ca²⁺ in diastole from the SR; if the cytoplasm is Ca²⁺ overloaded, the non-oscillatory V_ex tail is induced at negative potentials. The decrease in contractile force by Ca²⁺ overload appears to be associated with a decrease in high energy phosphates, since it is enhanced by metabolic inhibitors and reduced by metabolic substrates. The ionic currents I_os and I_ex underlie V_os and V_ex, respectively, both being due to an electrogenic extrusion of Ca²⁺ through the Na⁺-Ca²⁺ exchange. I_os is an oscillatory current due to an oscillatory release of Ca²⁺ in early diastole from the Ca²⁺-overloaded SR, and I_ex is a non-oscillatory current due to the extrusion of Ca²⁺ from the Ca²⁺-overloaded cytoplasm. I_os and I_ex can be present singly or simultaneously. An increase in [Ca²⁺]_i appears to be involved in the short- and long-term compensatory mechanisms that tend to maintain cardiac output in physiological and pathological conditions. Eventually, [Ca²⁺]_i may increase to overload levels and contribute to cardiac failure. Experimental evidence suggests that clinical concentrations of digitalis increase force in Ca²⁺-overloaded cardiac cells by decreasing the inhibition of the Na⁺-K⁺ pump by Ca²⁺, thereby leading to a reduction in Ca²⁺ overload and to an increase in force of contraction.