• Adam Nabeebaccus, Sean Zheng, and Ajay M Shah.
• Cardiovascular Division, King's College London British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence, London, UK.
• Br. Med. Bull. 2016 Sep 1; 119 (1): 9911099-110.

Introduction/BackgroundHeart failure is a major cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This review covers current heart failure treatment guidelines, emerging therapies that are undergoing clinical trial, and potential new therapeutic targets arising from basic science advances.Sources Of DataA non-systematic search of MEDLINE was carried out. International guidelines and relevant reviews were searched for additional articles.Areas Of AgreementAngiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and beta-blockers are first line treatments for chronic heart failure with reduced left ventricular function.Areas Of ControversyTreatment strategies to improve mortality in heart failure with preserved left ventricular function are unclear.Growing PointsMany novel therapies are being tested for clinical efficacy in heart failure, including those that target natriuretic peptides and myosin activators. A large number of completely novel targets are also emerging from laboratory-based research. Better understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms driving heart failure in different settings (e.g. hypertension, post-myocardial infarction, metabolic dysfunction) may allow for targeted therapies.Areas Timely For Developing ResearchTherapeutic targets directed towards modifying the extracellular environment, angiogenesis, cell viability, contractile function and microRNA-based therapies.© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

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