Controversy over the acute and long-term effects of digitalis led to the introduction of a variety of alternative and supplemental therapeutic approaches for the patient with heart failure. In the mid 1980s, a wide spectrum of vasodilators was available. New, at that time, inotropic agents, also found applications as alternatives or supplements to digitalis administration. Although all of these drugs had been shown to be of some benefit in the management of patients with chronic heart failure, there was inadequate information as to the long-term hemodynamic effects of some of these agents and practically no information regarding their effect on survival.