Long-Term Digitalis Therapy in Heart Failure

To the Editor: The study of Arnold et al.¹ on the hemodynamic actions of digitalis is welcome and long overdue. Although the theoretical basis of the use of digitalis has been subjected to more investigative scrutiny than that of any other drug in use at present, controlled clinical studies are almost nonexistent. This investigation, however, barely lifted one edge of the curtain separating us from an understanding of the clinical uses of the mysterious foxglove. The study raises many more questions than it answers. The first question, that of digitalis toxicity, is well evaluated in the editorial accompanying the article.