Heart failure is a condition where the heart can’t pump blood around the body as well as it should. The heart cannot keep up with its workload, and the body may not get the oxygen it needs. There isn’t a cure for heart failure but available treatments can help manage symptoms and improve quality of life. BHF has funded over 420 grants into heart failure worth more than £140 million since the 1960s.
Generating new knowledge
BHF-funded research has helped understand how the heart pumps blood around the body and what happens when it doesn’t work properly, leading to heart failure. New insights into the mechanisms behind heart failure have led to the development of several drugs.
Developing new technology
BHF-funded research has contributed to the development of new imaging technologies which play an important role in diagnosing and managing heart failure. For example, developing a new ultrasound-based tool that could be used for screening and monitoring people at risk of or suffering from heart failure.
BHF has also been at the forefront of an exciting field of research called regenerative medicine, that uses advanced techniques to repair or regenerate damaged heart tissue. Exciting developments in this field include using stem cells to repair the heart after a heart attack, and developing heart healing patches that act like a plaster to help hearts repair.
Influencing clinical practice
From developing new ways to diagnose heart failure, to finding the best treatments to improve survival and quality of life, BHF-funded research has influenced the way heart failure patients are treated. For example BHF-funded research developed a blood test to diagnose heart failure earlier.
Innovating healthcare delivery
BHF has been developing and testing new ways of delivering care for heart failure patients, including at home. This approach aims to improve lives and relieve pressure on the NHS, ensuring that more people can be treated.
Improving patients’ lives
Patients with heart failure experience various physical and emotional symptoms, which can impact quality of life. Over the years, BHF has funded research to help heart failure patients live longer and have a better quality of life. Examples include developing treatments that give heart failure patients a better chance of recovery, and investigating whether patients can safely reduce the number of medications they take.
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First published 26th March 2025