Global Guidelines Redefine Heart Failure to Detect Hidden Cases

Experts from the AHA, World Heart Federation, ACC, and ESC propose a revised universal definition of heart failure that recognizes the condition can exist even with a normal ejection fraction, moving beyond EF as the sole diagnostic measure. The framework emphasizes imaging, blood work, and genetics, and adds 18 potential causes to unify classifications worldwide. They note EF cutoffs were arbitrary and that heart failure can evolve over time, with future guidelines to follow; approximately 55 million people are affected globally.