Delayed diagnosis means delayed treatment, and in the worst cases, it costs lives.
The Fifth Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction aims to change that. Published jointly by the European Society of Cardiology, American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association and World Heart Federation, this landmark consensus statement updates how heart attacks are diagnosed worldwide — so patients get the right treatment sooner.
What's new
The biggest shift: sex-specific troponin thresholds. Troponin is the key blood marker used to diagnose heart attacks, but past guidance overlooked real biological differences between women and men — leaving women more likely to be underdiagnosed. This update helps close that gap.
The new definition also simplifies how heart attacks are classified — primary, secondary, or procedure-related — making it easier for clinicians to identify the underlying cause and tailor treatment accordingly. It also puts more weight on imaging and other objective tools, supporting more accurate, personalised diagnosis.
Years of research make the impact
Updates like this don’t happen overnight. They’re the result of years of research, collaboration and persistence from scientists, clinicians and patients – proof that research, done well, changes lives.
At the BHF Clinical Research Collaborative, this is exactly what we exist to support: bringing researchers together to build stronger evidence, bolder ambitions, and better outcomes for patients.
Read the published journal article here.
