Second Universal Definition of Heart Failure abandons rigid ejection fraction cutoffs

This consensus document reframes heart failure classification, staging, causes, and trajectories, giving pharmacists a standardized vocabulary that directly influences how guideline-directed medical therapy is selected and continued.

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Background Information

A new universal definition reshapes heart failure management globally.

Heart failure (HF) is increasingly prevalent, affecting global health. Standardizing its definition can improve research, prevention, and management. The document proposes a universal definition and classification for HF, moving beyond rigid ejection fraction cutoffs to a more comprehensive framework. By adopting a unified approach, clinicians can better diagnose, manage, and prevent HF, considering both clinical and social determinants of health. A new standardized definition framework aims to improve HF global management and outcomes.

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Authors: Walsh MN, Kober L, Sliwa K, Adamo M, Agarwal A, Banerjee A, Bozkurt B, Cikes M, Damasceno A, Desai AS, Felker GM, Hogan G, Kinugawa K, Kittleson M, Lam CSP, Mcdonagh T, Metra M, Mullens W, Ribeiro ALP, Vaughn Y, Vest A, Joint American Heart Association (AHA)/American College of Cardiology (ACC)/European Society of Cardiology (ESC)/World Heart Federation (WHF) Task Force for the Universal Definition of Heart Failure in collaboration with the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA), the Heart Failure Association (HFA) of the European Society of Cardiology, and the Japanese Heart Failure Society (JHFS)

Citation: Walsh MN, Kober L, Sliwa K, et al. AHA/ACC/ESC/WHF Expert Consensus Document: Second Universal Definition of Heart Failure (2026). Global heart. 2026;21(1):51. doi:10.5334/gh.1569

Article Links: PubMed · Journal / DOI · Free Full Text (PMC)

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