2023 Focused Update of the 2021 ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure

ESC Clinical Practice Guidelines

25 Aug 2023

Since the publication of the 2021 ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure, there have been several randomised controlled trials that should change patient management ahead of the next scheduled full guideline. This 2023 Focused Update addresses changes in recommendations for the treatment of HF because of this new evidence. We considered new, published evidence up to 31 March 2023. After considering and discussing many new major randomised controlled clinical trials and meta-analyses, the Task Force voted to include those that would lead to Class IIa and I recommendations. This has led to us updating some of our guidance for the treatment of HFmrEF, HFpEF, comorbidities and Acute HF.

Guidelines and related materials are for use by individuals for personal or educational purposes. No commercial use is allowed. Re-use permission must be correctly obtained from the publisher.

ESC Guidelines are protected by copyright. As per opt out option under Article 4 §3 of EU Directive 2019/790, the ESC reserves all rights to license uses of ESC Guidelines to train or develop generative artificial intelligence (AI) models, large language models or other deep learning or machine learning models. Any use of ESC Guidelines in software tools, generative AI models, computational models, or algorithms in which ESC Guideline content is included, cited, or transformed in any way requires a formal license agreement.

Topic(s):

Chronic Heart Failure

Acute Heart Failure

Heart Failure

Endorsed by cardiac societies

Austrian Society of Cardiology , Armenian Cardiologists Association , Azerbaijan Society of Cardiology , Belgian Society of Cardiology , Association of Cardiologists of Bosnia & Herzegovina , British Cardiovascular Society , Bulgarian Society of Cardiology , Czech Society of Cardiology , Danish Society of Cardiology , Egyptian Society of Cardiology , Finnish Cardiac Society , Georgian Society of Cardiology , German Cardiac Society , Hellenic Society of Cardiology , Hungarian Society of Cardiology , Irish Cardiac Society , Italian Federation of Cardiology , Kosovo Society of Cardiology , Kyrgyz Society of Cardiology , Lithuanian Society of Cardiology , Luxembourg Society of Cardiology , Maltese Cardiac Society , Moroccan Society of Cardiology , Norwegian Society of Cardiology , Polish Cardiac Society , Portuguese Society of Cardiology , Romanian Society of Cardiology , San Marino Society of Cardiology , Cardiology Society of Serbia , Slovak Society of Cardiology , Spanish Society of Cardiology , Swiss Society of Cardiology , Turkish Society of Cardiology , Ukrainian Association of Cardiology

Main resources

: Full Text and Related Materials

Full text

Corrigendum published : 23 November 2023

Declaration of interest

Read the full text

: Scientific Presentation at ESC Congress 2023

Access the live session and the replay

Watch now

More resources

: ESC TV Interview

The essentials of the Guidelines in just a few minutes.

Watch

: Congress News Article

Insights from the Chairs of the Guidelines Task Force.

Read

: ESC Pocket Guidelines App

Have the ESC Pocket Guidelines with you all the time.

Download for free

Access the 2021 HF Guidelines

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....