Xamoterol ('Corwin', 'Carwin', 'Corwil', 'Xamtol', ICI118, 587)*, a partial beta-agonist, has beneficial effects in patients with mild to moderate heart failure. In acute haemodynamic studies in more severe heart failure some patients have shown negative inotropic and chronotropic effects, although treatment with a partial agonist should protect the heart against excessive stimulation, while providing a baseline level of sympathetic drive. This study examined the effects of oral xamoterol in patients with moderate to severe heart failure. Ten patients were studied, nine with ischaemic heart disease. All but one were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional Class III. Other treatment, including angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, was continued. The patients underwent a standard bicycle exercise test, and the following day cardiac catheterization was performed to obtain measurements of ventricular size (by cineangiography) and pressures during the cardiac cycle. The patients began treatment with xamoterol 200 mg b.d. in addition to their baseline therapy, and this was continued for an average of 9 weeks, after which the exercise test and the haemodynamic investigations were repeated. At baseline, all patients had a raised left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) and nine had a low election fraction, raised end-systolic and end-diastolic volume indices and reduced left ventricular (+) dP/dtmax Xamoterol produced a marked reduction in left ventricular filling pressure, a fall in end-systolic volume index and improvements in T1, (+) dP/dtmax and (dP/dt)/DP40 with no change in mean aortic pressure. Duration of exercise increased in four patients, and did not change in the other four tested.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)