[Comparison of the clinical effect between digoxin and a diuretic in chronic left heart failure and sinus rhythm].

Because of conflicting results from studies examining the initial treatment of patients with chronic left heart failure (CHF) and sinus rhythm, the clinical efficacy and safety of digoxin and a diuretic were compared in a multicenter, randomised, open twelve-week study. 47 patients with CHF (NYHA II and III) were treated either with digoxin or a combination of hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene. Three patients from the diuretic group and four from the digoxin group required premature termination of study periods because of increasing symptoms of CHF. Both regimens decreased significantly a heart failure score and increased distinctly the symptom-limited exercise tolerance, but results did not differ between the groups. Echocardiographic parameters, ejection fraction and radionuclide indices of diastolic function estimated by gated blood pool scan did not change with either treatment. It was concluded that digoxin or the diuretic therapy alone was effective in ameliorating the clinical signs of CHF. Due to missing differences in the clinical efficacy of both drugs an individual and not schematic treatment regimen of CHF is warranted.