NICE has updated the drug treatments in its clinical guideline on the diagnosis and management of chronic heart failure, first published in 2018, to recommend medicines be given up to a year earlier - helping people live well for longer. 

Clinical practice over the timing of drug treatments for a type of heart failure called heart failure with a reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is changing. 

The draft guideline now says these drugs can be started by GPs with advice from a heart failure specialist, rather than solely by a heart failure specialist, potentially speeding up access to these important treatments.

Eric Power, deputy director in NICE's Centre for Guidelines said: ‘Heart failure is common, with currently around 614,000 adults in England living with a diagnosis. Although there's no cure, it is treatable, and the growing number of people living with heart failure is testament to the improvements in care introduced over recent years.

‘For this update we've been able to review the emerging evidence quickly to keep pace with changes in the treatment landscape and make recommendations that will widen access to effective treatments. This should have a big impact on the lives of people living with heart failure as well as freeing up space in hospitals by reducing their risk of having to go to hospital for unplanned emergency treatment.'