ACC/AHA/HFSA Management of Heart Failure Guideline Summary

Design and created by Guideline Central in participation with the American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, and Heart Failure Society of America.

Document Overview

Document Title: Management of Heart Failure

Authoring Societies

American College of Cardiology

American Heart Association

Heart Failure Society of America

Document Publication Date: Mar 31, 2022

Page Last Reviewed/Updated: May 5, 2026

Document Type: Guideline

Country of Publication: United States

Full Text Freely Available: Yes

Full Text Guideline: www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacc.2021.12.012

Source Citation: Heidenreich PA, Bozkurt B, Aguilar D, Allen LA, Byun JJ, Colvin MM, Deswal A, Drazner MH, Dunlay SM, Evers LR, Fang JC, Fedson SE, Fonarow GC, Hayek SS, Hernandez AF, Khazanie P, Kittleson MM, Lee CS, Link MS, Milano CA, Nnacheta LC, Sandhu AT, Stevenson LW, Vardeny O, Vest AR, Yancy CW. 2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA guideline for the management of heart failure: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2022; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2021.12.012.

Copublished in Circulation. 2022; https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001063.

Supplemental Implementation Resources

Document Scope, Criteria, and Use Cases

Document Objectives: The “2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure” replaces the “2013 ACCF/AHA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure” and the “2017 ACC/AHA/HFSA Focused Update of the 2013 ACCF/AHA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure.” The 2022 guideline is intended to provide patient-centric recommendations for clinicians to prevent, diagnose, and manage patients with heart failure.

Scope: Assessment and Screening, Prevention, Treatment

Keywords: congestive heart failure (CHF), heart failure, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) , heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF)

Target Patient Population: Patients with heart failure

Target Provider Population: Cardiologists, primary care providers, and allied clinicians caring for patients with heart failure

Inclusion Criteria: Male, Female, Adult, Older Adult

Health Care Settings: Ambulatory, Emergency Care, Hospital, Operating and Recovery Room, Outpatient

Intended Users: Health Systems Pharmacist, Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, Physician, Physician Assistant

Recommendation Development Processes & Methodology

PICO Questions

What are interventions that can prevent heart failure for patients with or at risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) to improve quality of care and align with patients’ interests?
What measurements evaluate heart failure for patients with or at risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) to improve quality of care and align with patients’ interests?
How is functional impairment and exercise intolerance measured in patients with or at risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) to improve quality of care and align with patients’ interests?
What are potential barriers to effective self-care in patients with or at risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD)?
What medications are preferred for patients with or at risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD), and who have fluid retention?
What diuretics are used to treat congestion for patients with chronic heart failure?
What are potential barriers to effective self-care in patients with heart failure?
What devices and interventional therapies are recommended for patients with heart failure?
What are surgical options for patients with valvular heart disease versus utilizing medical therapy?
What inotropic agents prove most beneficial in prolonging life in patients with heart failure refractory to other therapies?
What subset of patients with advanced heart failure and reduced ejection fraction prove most successful with mechanical circulatory support?
What methods are used to prevent thromboembolism in the hospitalized patient with heart failure?
What approach to cardiogenic shock in patients with heart failure should be used by providers to prevent metabolic complications?
What types of disparities exist among social groups and heart failure diagnoses?
When is hospice and palliative care an option for a patient with advanced heart failure?

Number of Source Documents: 1,706

Literature Search Start Date: Thursday, April 30, 2020

Literature Search End Date: Monday, November 30, 2020

Includes peer/external review process?: Yes

Includes public comment process?: No

Methodologist involvement?: Yes

Patient involvement?: No

Includes multi-disciplinary group?: Yes

Includes systematic review?: Yes

Grades quality of strength of evidence?: Yes

Grades quality of strength of recommendation?: Yes

Discloses funding source?: Yes

Discloses conflicts of interest?: Yes

Includes benefits/harms analysis with recommendations?: Yes