Secondary End-points of safety and efficacy The secondary objectives for efficacy included the evaluation of the effect of the drug compared to placebo on functional variables including NYHA class, patient centered outcomes including HR-QoL, the relative change in values of NT-proBNP from baseline to the end of treatment and unplanned hospitalizations (for HF, for cardiovascular reasons and all-cause). As additional pre-specified efficacy end-points the report of combined all-cause death or other terminal events (urgent LVAD or heart transplant) with hospitalization was planned. The safety objectives aimed to evaluate the effect of the study drug compared to placebo on all-cause mortality, changes in renal and liver function. The impact of the administration of the study drug on heart rate and the risk of development of life-threatening arrhythmias were investigated in all patients in our study.