Many diseases do not occur suddenly. Before symptoms appear, they may already have progressed gradually over time.
Take heart failure as an example: ESC Congress 2026 was held in Munich, Germany, where the latest 2026 ESC Guidelines for the management of heart failure were officially released.
The new guidelines convey a clear message: heart failure management should not begin only after symptoms appear. Greater emphasis should be placed on prevention, early recognition and timely intervention.
Modifiable risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and smoking are closely associated with the development of heart failure. Research shows that the effects of these risk factors are especially important among younger people. Preventing heart failure is therefore not something that should only be considered later in life.
The Four Stages of Heart Failure
The new staging system helps us recognise the progression of heart failure earlier:
What deserves attention is not only how stages C and D are treated. It is even more important to begin prevention and risk management in stages A and B—or, ideally, before risk factors develop.
How Can Disease Be Prevented?
Prevention is based on human physiology, developing sound health concepts and lifestyle habits that can be maintained over the long term.
Sources
2026 ESC Guidelines for the management of heart failure.
General information only; not a substitute for medical assessment, diagnosis or treatment.