The invention provides methods for (a) reducing mortality associated with heart failure; (b) improving oxygen consumption; (c) treating heart failure; (d) treating hypertension; (e) improving the quality of life in a heart failure patient; (f) inhibiting left ventricular remodeling; (g) reducing hospitalizations related to heart failure; (h) improving exercise tolerance; (j) increasing left ventricular ejection fraction; (k) decreasing levels of B- type natriuretic protein; (1) treating renovascular diseases; (m) treating end-stage renal diseases; (n) reducing cardiomegaly; (o) treating diseases resulting from oxidative stress; (p) treating endothelial dysfunctions; (q) treating diseases caused by endothelial dysfunctions; or (r) treating cardiovascular diseases; in a patient in need thereof, wherein the patient has a Arg389Arg polymorphism and/or a Gly389Gly polymorphism in the beta 1 adrenergic receptor gene, compiising administering to the patient (i) at least one antioxidant compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; (ii) at least one nitric oxide enhancing compound; and (iii) optionally the best current therapy for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. In one embodiment the antioxidant is a hydralazine compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and the nitric oxide enhancing compound is isosorbide dinitrate and/or isosorbide mononitrate.