The updated NICE guideline recommends offering four classes of drugs – angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, beta-blockers, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors – to treat heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. These drugs are also considered for heart failure patients with mildly reduced ejection fraction. In patients with heart failure and iron deficiency, intravenous iron should be considered when serum ferritin falls below 15 g/L. Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists are considered for heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction. The prevalence of heart failure in Europe is estimated at 1–2% of adults. In the UK, the number of hospital admissions for heart failure increased from 61,401 in 2022/23 to 65,679 in 2023/24. This places a significant burden on patients and healthcare resources, including hospital admissions, outpatient visits and ongoing management.