AHA/ACC/ESC/WHF Expert Consensus Document: Second Universal Definition of Heart Failure (2026)

JACC · expert consensus 2026. HF is now reduced, preserved or improved EF, no rigid cutoffs. AHA/ACC/ESC/WHF Expert Consensus Document: Second Universal Definition of Heart Failure (2026) Inconsistent HF definitions limited progress: Research, Surveillance, Prevention. Categories replace rigid cutoffs: EF categories vs Rigid LVEF cutoffs. Plus a universal classification of HF causes: Reduced EF, Preserved EF, Improved EF, Classified causes. Gregg Fonarow (Interim chief of cardiology, University of California Los Angeles · University of California Los Angeles): “The updated universal definition of heart failure matters because it finally brings global consistency to how we diagnose and describe heart failure.” From their public comments on the paper Bottom line: Standardized HF categories should now guide diagnosis, management and trial design.