The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) released three major guideline updates during ESC Congress 2026 related to cardiac rehabilitation, chronic kidney disease (CKD) and heart failure (HF).
Cardiac Rehabilitation
The first-ever ESC Guidelines on Cardiac Rehabilitation underscore the broad benefits of rehabilitation programs, including improved quality of life, physical fitness, confidence and mental well-being, while lowering the risk of future cardiovascular events. Beyond patients recovering from heart attack or HF, the guidelines expand the role of rehabilitation to additional groups, including those with congenital heart disease, atrial fibrillation, heart valve replacement and cancer therapy-related heart complications.
Cardiovascular Disease and CKD
The first dedicated ESC Guidelines on Cardiovascular Disease and CKD call for all patients with heart disease to be assessed for kidney disease. Developed with the European Renal Association, the guidelines emphasize wider use of kidney function and urine albumin testing to improve early detection. They also reflect emerging evidence that relatively simple treatments can substantially reduce both kidney and cardiovascular complications and provide recommendations for adapting cardiovascular care in patients with CKD.
Heart Failure
Meanwhile, the updated ESC HF Guidelines introduce important changes to how HF is classified and treated. The document adopts a staging approach that spans prevention in at-risk individuals through management of advanced disease, emphasizing earlier intervention to address a growing global burden driven by aging populations and rising obesity rates. The guidelines simplify HF phenotypes into reduced and preserved ejection fraction categories, replace the term “acute” HF with “decompensated” HF, and establish new therapy categories designed to remain relevant as treatments evolve. The update also incorporates the latest evidence on medical, device-based and interventional therapies, alongside a renewed emphasis on patient education and self-care.
Visit ACC’s ESC Congress 2026 coverage page to explore the latest science and key takeaways shaping cardiovascular care.
Clinical Topics:
Arrhythmias and Clinical EP, Cardiovascular Care Team, Congenital Heart Disease and Pediatric Cardiology, Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathies, Atrial Fibrillation/Supraventricular Arrhythmias, Congenital Heart Disease, CHD and Pediatrics and Arrhythmias, CHD and Pediatrics and Prevention, Acute Heart Failure
Keywords:
ESC Congress, ESC26, Atrial Fibrillation, Cardiac Rehabilitation, Heart Defects, Congenital, Myocardial Infarction, Heart Failure, Renal Insufficiency, Chronic
