2021 ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure

The aim of this ESC Guideline is to help health professionals manage people with heart failure (HF) according to the best available evidence. Fortunately, we now have a wealth of clinical trials to help us select the best management to improve the outcomes for people with HF; for many, it is now both preventable and treatable. This guideline provides practical, evidence-based recommendations.  The format of the previous 2016 ESC HF Guidelines was revised to make each phenotype of HF stand-alone in terms of its diagnosis and management. The therapy recommendations mention the treatment effect supported by the class and level of evidence and are presented in tables. In this guideline, we have decided to focus on the diagnosis and treatment of HF, not on its prevention.