2016 ESC and ACC/AHA/HFSA heart failure guideline update - what is new and why is it important?

Heart failure (HF) is a global epidemic affecting millions of individuals worldwide. Although important progress has been made in the management of HF, this condition remains a common cause of morbidity and death. Since the publication of the previous sets of guidelines for the management of HF, new diagnostic and therapeutic options for HF have emerged. Now, both the ESC and the ACC/AHA/HFSA have simultaneously published an update of their guidelines incorporating, among others, recommendations for the use of new pharmacological therapies for the treatment of HF. For this Viewpoint article, we have asked the chairs of the ESC Task Force, the chairs of the ACC/AHA/HFSA Writing Committee, and an independent opinion leader in the field to offer their expert insight into the new guidelines, highlighting what is new, what the main differences are between the two sets of guidelines, and what steps should be taken to improve the guidelines in future updates.