Pimobendan is a novel cardiotonic vasodilator (inodilator) which derives its inotropic activity from a combination of phosphodiesterase III inhibition and sensitisation of myocardial contractile proteins to calcium. The acute haemodynamic benefits of pimobendan (2.5 to 10mg orally; 5 to 10mg intravenously) seen in patients maintained on conventional diuretic, digitalis and vasodilator therapy for chronic heart failure (increases in cardiac output and stroke volume, and reductions in left ventricular preload and afterload) persisted on short term (1 month) therapy, and showed only limited evidence of attenuation on longer term (6 months) oral therapy with pimobendan 2.5 or 5mg twice daily. Adjunctive therapy with pimobendan 1.25 to 5mg twice daily for periods of 3 to 6 months improved exercise tolerance on symptom-limited exercise testing, New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class, and quality of life, and additionally reduced the need for hospitalisation in patients with moderate to severe chronic heart failure. Pimobendan appears to be well tolerated at therapeutic doses (1.25 to 5mg twice daily) in patients with chronic heart failure, and preliminary indications suggest that it is largely devoid of the proarrhythmic effects of classical phosphodiesterase III inhibitors. Although information regarding the long term effects of pimobendan on mortality is currently lacking, the drug nevertheless shows potential benefit as an adjunctive therapy in patients with chronic heart failure.