A prospective study was undertaken to assess the response of patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy to programmed electrical stimulation (PES). Fifteen patients undergoing evaluation of congestive heart failure were studied. All patients underwent cardiac catheterization and coronary angiography as well as endomyocardial biopsy to exclude known causes of heart failure. No patient had a history of syncope or sustained ventricular arrhythmias. All patients were found to have severe left ventricular dysfunction (mean ejection fraction 17%), as well as nonsustained ventricular tachycardia on ambulatory monitoring or exercise testing. A protocol using up to two premature stimuli and burst pacing, from two right ventricular sites, induced up to four repetitive ventricular responses but failed to induce a sustained ventricular arrhythmia in any patient. Patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, advanced ventricular arrhythmias, and depressed left ventricular function respond differently than do patients with coronary artery disease, advanced ventricular arrhythmias, and depressed left ventricular function, to PES. PES appears to have limited value in the evaluation of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and nonsustained ventricular arrhythmias.