Anubha Agarwal, MD, MSc, of the WashU Cardiovascular Division, contributed to an international expert consensus document updating the global definition of heart failure and providing a unified framework for prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
Anubha Agarwal, MD, MSc, Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Cardiovascular Division and co-director of the Program in Global Cardiovascular Health, was a contributor to a document that establishes the Second Universal Definition of Heart Failure. The document was developed jointly by leading cardiovascular organizations, including the American Heart Association (AHA), American College of Cardiology (ACC), European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and World Heart Federation (WHF).
Published simultaneously in Circulation, Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC), European Heart Journal and Global Heart, the updated definition reflects advances in the understanding of heart failure, diagnostic approaches and disease progression. The consensus aims to provide a common language for clinicians, researchers, health systems and policymakers worldwide.
Among the key updates are a new universal classification system for causes of heart failure, greater emphasis on identifying risk earlier and a shift away from rigid left ventricular ejection fraction thresholds. The framework recognizes heart failure as a dynamic condition with the potential for improvement, remission and recovery, while also highlighting the impact of social and geographic factors on patient outcomes.
Agarwal is a global cardiovascular physician-scientist whose research focuses on heart failure, clinical trials and implementation science, with the goal of improving cardiovascular care for underserved populations in the United States and around the world.