New Treatments & Clinical Trials for Heart Failure

Heart failure affects more than 6 million Americans and happens when the heart can't pump blood efficiently enough to meet the body's needs. Treatment includes medications like ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, and SGLT2 inhibitors, plus devices like pacemakers and defibrillators for some people. Despite these advances, many people still experience symptoms and hospitalizations.

What's actually going on in research

Trials are testing newer SGLT2 inhibitors that work in both reduced and preserved ejection fraction, gene therapies targeting specific inherited forms, cardiac contractility modulators that help the heart pump more effectively, and anti-inflammatory approaches. Researchers are also studying whether finerenone and other drugs can prevent heart failure in people with diabetes or kidney disease.

What to know before you search

Eligibility typically depends on ejection fraction type (reduced or preserved), symptom severity, medications already tried, kidney function, and whether you have devices like a pacemaker.

What types of trials are currently open

• Medication trials — Testing new drugs or combinations to reduce symptoms, improve heart function, or prevent hospitalization. Many compare new treatments to standard medications like ACE inhibitors or beta-blockers.
• Device trials — Studies of implantable devices like cardiac contractility modulators, newer pacemakers, or mechanical support devices for advanced heart failure.
• Gene therapy trials — Testing treatments that target the genetic causes of inherited heart muscle disease, aiming to slow or reverse damage.
• Exercise and rehabilitation trials — Studies testing whether specific exercise programs, cardiac rehab approaches, or remote monitoring improve outcomes and quality of life.
• Registry studies — Large tracking studies that follow people with heart failure to understand which treatments work best for different patient groups.