Despite recent improvements in drug therapy, the prevalence of congestive heart failure (CHF) continues to rise, as a result of the increasing proportion of older people in the population and factors such as greater survival rates after myocardial infarction. More effective management strategies for CHF are therefore needed urgently. The angiotensin II type 1 (AT(1))-receptor blockers might contribute to such strategies, offering placebo-like tolerability and showing promise in early trials of their use in CHF. Large-scale outcome studies, currently underway, will provide further evidence of the value of AT(1)-receptor blockers in CHF. In addition, the involvement of specially trained nurses in patient education and monitoring should enhance compliance with both existing and novel therapies, and thus help to increase the overall efficacy of holistic strategies for CHF management.