A facsimile of William Withering's original monograph can be found in: Aronson JK. An account of the foxglove and its medical uses 1785–1985. London: Oxford University Press; 1985.
2.
PackerM, GheorghiadeM, YoungJB. for the RADIANCE study. Withdrawal of digoxin from patients with chronic heart failure treated with angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors. N Engl J Med1993; 329:1–7.
3.
UretskyBF, YoungJB, ShahidiFE. on behalf of the PROVED investigative group. Randomised study assessing the effect of digoxin withdrawal in patients with mild to moderate chronic congestive heart failure: results of the PROVED trial. J Am Coll Cardiol1993; 22:955–62.
4.
The Digitalis Investigation Group. The effect of digoxin on mortality and morbidity in patients with heart failure. N Engl J Med1997; 336:525–33.
5.
DicksteinK, ChangP, WillenheimerR. Comparison of the effects of losartan and enalapril on clinical status and exercise performance in patients with moderate or severe chronic heart failure. J Am Coll Cardiol1995; 26:438–45.
6.
Since the Symposium was held the RALES trial has been published. Pitt B, Zannad F, Remme WJ et al. The effect of spironolactone on morbidity and mortality in patients with severe heart failure. N Engl J Med1999; 341:709–17
7.
PittB, SegalR, MartinezFA. Randomised trial of losartan versus captopril in patients over 65 with heart failure (Evaluation of Losartan in the Elderly Study, ELITE). Lancet1997; 349:747–52.
8.
ClelandJGF, BristowMR, ErdmannE. Beta-blocking agents in heart failure: should they be used and how?Eur Heart J1996; 17:1629–39.
9.
HeidenreichPA, LeeTT, MassieBM. Effect of beta-blockade on mortality in patients with heart failure: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled clinical trials. J Am Coll Cardiol1997; 30:27–34.
10.
CIBIS II Investigators and Committees. The Cardiac Insufficiency Bisoprolol Study II (CIBIS II): a randomised trial. Lancet1999; 353:9–13.
11.
Since the Symposium was held the MERIT-HF trial has been published. MERIT-HF Study Group. Effect of metoprolol CR/XL in chronic heart failure: Metoprolol CR/XL randominsed intervention trial in congestive heart failure (MERIT-HF). Lancet1999; 353:2001–7.
12.
AlbersGW. Atrial fibrillation and stroke. Arch Intern Med1994; 154:1443–8.
13.
EAFT (European Atrial Fibrillation Trial) Study Group. Secondary prevention in non-rheumatic atrial fibrillation after transient ischaemic attack or minor stroke. Lancet1993; 342:1255–62.
14.
The Atrial Fibrillation Investigators. The efficacy of aspirin in patients with atrial fibrillation. Arch Intern Med1997; 157:1237–40.
15.
TimmisAD. Modern treatment of heart failure. Diuretics are often enough, but do not overuse. BMJ1988; 297:83–4.
