Topics and Trends in Most Cited Heart Failure Treatment and Management Papers

Ranked by citations 18 months after publication

Class of 2026 (Papers Published in 2024)

What topics and trends defined most-cited Heart Failure Treatment and Management research in the Class of 2026?

In 2024, research on heart failure shifted heavily toward addressing heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and obesity-related complications. Major clinical trials, particularly FINEARTS-HF, drove interest in GLP-1 receptor agonists and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, while focus on SGLT2 inhibitors and beta-blockers declined.

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Updated July 19, 2026

At a glance

Field
Heart Failure Treatment and Management
Cohort label
Class of 2026 (2024 publications)
Papers analyzed
6,981
Papers ranked
20
Top topics in ranked papers
Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, cardiovascular mortality, GLP-1 receptor agonists, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists
Publication window
Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024
Eligibility
Research articles; reviews excluded
Citation window
18 months post-publication
18m citation range
60–727
Data source
OpenAlex · Retrieved Jul 2026
License
CC BY 4.0

Rankings

20 papers ranked by 18-month citation count

#1 of 6,981
72718m citations

Tirzepatide for Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction and Obesity

Milton Packer et al.New England Journal of Medicine202410.1056/nejmoa2410027

Milton PackerBaylor University Medical Center, United States

tirzepatideHeart failure with preserved ejection fractionObesityglucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor agonistGLP-1 receptor agonistWorsening heart failure eventsCardiovascular mortalityKCCQ Clinical Summary Scorehealth statusquality of lifesubcutaneous administrationweight lossBody mass indexLeft ventricular ejection fractiongastrointestinal adverse eventsTime-to-event analysisSUMMIT trial
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#2 of 6,981
54918m citations

Finerenone in Heart Failure with Mildly Reduced or Preserved Ejection Fraction

Scott D Solomon et al.New England Journal of Medicine202410.1056/nejmoa2407107

Scott D SolomonBrigham and Women's Hospital, United States

finerenoneMineralocorticoid receptor antagonistsHeart failure with mildly reduced ejection fractionHeart failure with preserved ejection fractionEjection fraction ≥40%Worsening heart failure eventsCardiovascular mortalitycomposite primary outcomeHeart failure hospitalizationUrgent heart failure visitHyperkalemiahypokalemiaFINEARTS-HF trialDouble-blind randomized controlled trialrate ratio
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#3 of 6,981
38718m citations

Semaglutide in Patients with Obesity-Related Heart Failure and Type 2 Diabetes

Mikhail N Kosiborod et al.New England Journal of Medicine202410.1056/nejmoa2313917

Mikhail N KosiborodSaint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute, United States

semaglutideHeart failure with preserved ejection fractionobesity-related heart failuretype 2 diabetesKCCQ Clinical Summary ScoreBody weight change6-minute walk distanceHierarchical composite endpointC-reactive proteinGLP-1 receptor agonistSTEP-HFpEF DM trialHeart failure symptomsphysical limitationsWin ratio
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#4 of 6,981
22618m citations

Semaglutide versus placebo in people with obesity-related heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: a pooled analysis of the STEP-HFpEF and STEP-HFpEF DM randomised trials

Javed Butler et al.The Lancet202410.1016/s0140-6736(24)00469-0

Mikhail KosiborodBaylor Scott & White Research Institute, United States

semaglutideobesity-related heart failureHeart failure with preserved ejection fractionSTEP-HFpEF trialSTEP-HFpEF DM trialPatient-level pooled analysisGLP-1 receptor agonistDouble-blind randomized controlled trialObesitydiabetes mellitusweight losscardiovascular outcomesKansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire6-minute walk distanceexercise capacityNT-proBNPC-reactive protein
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#5 of 6,981
21918m citations

Semaglutide versus placebo in patients with heart failure and mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction: a pooled analysis of the SELECT, FLOW, STEP-HFpEF, and STEP-HFpEF DM randomised trials

Mikhail N Kosiborod et al.The Lancet202410.1016/s0140-6736(24)01643-x

Mikhail KosiborodUniversity of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, United States

semaglutideHeart failure with preserved ejection fractionHeart failure with mildly reduced ejection fractionSELECT trialFLOW trialSTEP-HFpEF trialSTEP-HFpEF DM trialPatient-level pooled analysisGLP-1 receptor agonistLeft ventricular ejection fractioncardiovascular outcomesobesity-related heart failuretype 2 diabetes
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#6 of 6,981
18018m citations

Semaglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with obesity and prevalent heart failure: a prespecified analysis of the SELECT trial

John Deanfield et al.The Lancet202410.1016/s0140-6736(24)01498-3

Subodh VermaUniversity College London, United Kingdom

semaglutideGLP-1 receptor agonistMajor adverse cardiovascular eventsSELECT trialHeart failure with preserved ejection fractionHeart failure with reduced ejection fractionatherosclerotic cardiovascular diseaseObesityCardiovascular mortalityHeart failure hospitalizationMyocardial infarctionStrokeonce-weekly subcutaneous administration2.4 mg doseBMI 27 kg/m² or greatercomposite heart failure outcomeAll-cause mortalityNew York Heart Association statusprespecified analysisDouble-blind randomized controlled trial
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#7 of 6,981
17818m citations

Intensive Blood-Pressure Control in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Yufang Bi et al.New England Journal of Medicine202410.1056/nejmoa2412006

Yufang BiShanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China

intensive blood-pressure controlsystolic blood pressure target <120 mm Hgsystolic blood pressure target <140 mm Hgtype 2 diabetescardiovascular disease riskStrokeMyocardial infarctionHeart failure hospitalizationCardiovascular mortalitycomposite cardiovascular outcomesymptomatic hypotensionHyperkalemiamultiple imputationhazard ratio 0.79BPROAD trial
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#8 of 6,981
11018m citations

Beta-Blocker Interruption or Continuation after Myocardial Infarction

Johanne Silvain et al.New England Journal of Medicine202410.1056/nejmoa2404204

Johanne SilvainSorbonne Université, France

Beta-blocker withdrawalMyocardial infarctionlong-term beta-blocker treatmentLeft ventricular ejection fractionnoninferiority trialcomposite cardiovascular outcomeStrokehospitalization for cardiovascular reasonsEQ-5D-5Lbeta-blocker continuationcardiovascular eventquality of lifehazard ratio
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#9 of 6,981
10918m citations

Effects of tirzepatide on circulatory overload and end-organ damage in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and obesity: a secondary analysis of the SUMMIT trial

Barry A Borlaug et al.Nature Medicine202410.1038/s41591-024-03374-z

Barry A. BorlaugMayo Clinic, United States

tirzepatideHeart failure with preserved ejection fractionObesitySUMMIT trialglucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptorGLP-1 receptor agonistcirculatory volume expansionpressure overloadestimated blood volumesystolic blood pressureC-reactive proteinEstimated glomerular filtration rateurine albumin-creatinine ratioNT-proBNPtroponin TKCCQ Clinical Summary Score6-minute walk distancecardiovascular-kidney end-organ damageInflammation
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#10 of 6,981
9418m citations

Effect of Semaglutide on Cardiac Structure and Function in Patients With Obesity-Related Heart Failure

Scott D Solomon et al.Journal of the American College of Cardiology202410.1016/j.jacc.2024.08.021

Scott D. SolomonBrigham and Women's Hospital, United States

semaglutideobesity-related heart failureHeart failure with preserved ejection fractionCardiac remodelingSTEP-HFpEF trialLeft atrial volumeright ventricular enlargementechocardiographyE-wave velocityE/A ratioE/e′ ratioLeft ventricular massdiastolic functionRV end-diastolic areaweight lossGLP-1 receptor agonisttype 2 diabetesatrial fibrillationdisease-modifying treatment
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#11 of 6,981
8618m citations

Effects of Semaglutide on Heart Failure Outcomes in Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease in the FLOW Trial

Richard E Pratley et al.Journal of the American College of Cardiology202410.1016/j.jacc.2024.08.004

Richard E. PratleyAdventHealth Translational Research Institute, United States

semaglutideGLP-1 receptor agonisttype 2 diabeteschronic kidney diseaseHeart failureFLOW trialCardiovascular mortalityEstimated glomerular filtration ratekidney replacement therapyWorsening heart failure eventsNYHA functional classHeart failure with reduced ejection fractioncomposite outcomesubcutaneous administrationhazard ratio
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#12 of 6,981
8118m citations

Comparative study on the predictive value of TG/HDL-C, TyG and TyG-BMI indices for 5-year mortality in critically ill patients with chronic heart failure: a retrospective study

Zijing Zhou, Qiang Liu et al.Cardiovascular Diabetology202410.1186/s12933-024-02308-w

Ruizheng Shi, Ting WuCentral South University, China

Triglyceride-glucose indexTyG-BMI indexTG/HDL-C ratioinsulin resistancechronic heart failurecritically ill patients5-year mortalityMIMIC-III databaseMIMIC-IV databaseCox proportional hazards modelKaplan-Meier analysisRestricted cubic splinereceiver operating characteristic curveBody mass indexrisk stratificationAll-cause mortalityintensive care
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#14 of 6,981
7518m citations

Effect of combination treatment with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors on incidence of cardiovascular and serious renal events: population based cohort study

Nikita Simms-Williams et al.BMJ202410.1136/bmj-2023-078242

Laurent AzoulayUniversity of Birmingham, United Kingdom

GLP-1 receptor agonistSGLT2 inhibitorsCombination therapytype 2 diabetesMajor adverse cardiovascular eventsserious renal eventsMyocardial infarctionStrokeCardiovascular mortalityHeart failureAll-cause mortalitypopulation based cohort studyprevalent new-user designUK Clinical Practice Research Datalinktime conditional propensity scoreCox proportional hazards model
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#15 of 6,981
7418m citations

Long-term effect of mavacamten in obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Pablo Garcia-Pavia et al.European Heart Journal202410.1093/eurheartj/ehae579

Pablo García‐PavíaHospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, Spain

mavacamtenobstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathyMAVA-LTEEXPLORER-HCMleft ventricular outflow tract gradientNT-proBNPLeft ventricular ejection fractionNYHA functional classEQ-5D-5Lreversible LVEF reductionlong-term safetysustained symptom improvement
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#16 of 6,981
6418m citations

Inflammation in Obesity-Related HFpEF

Subodh Verma et al.Journal of the American College of Cardiology202410.1016/j.jacc.2024.08.028

Mikhail KosiborodUniversity of Toronto, Canada

Obesity-related heart failure with preserved ejection fractionsemaglutideC-reactive proteinSTEP-HFpEF trialKCCQ Clinical Summary Score6-minute walk distanceSTEP-HFpEF DM trialHierarchical composite endpointbaseline CRP stratificationweight lossHeart failure symptomsphysical limitationsexercise functioninflammation prevalenceCRP reductionBody mass indexhealth status improvementweekly 2.4 mg dose
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#17 of 6,981
6318m citations

Indole-3-Propionic Acid Protects Against Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction

Yu-Chen Wang et al.Circulation Research202410.1161/circresaha.123.322381

Yu-Chen WangUniversity of California, Los Angeles, United States

indole-3-propionic acidHeart failure with preserved ejection fractiondiastolic dysfunctionMetabolomicsgut microbiotatryptophan metabolismNicotinamide N-methyltransferaseNAD+ salvage pathwaySirtuin 3aryl hydrocarbon receptornicotinamide supplementationgut microbiota dysbiosisintestinal epithelial barriermetabolic remodelingoxidative stressIPA dietary supplementation
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#18 of 6,981
6318m citations

Semaglutide and NT-proBNP in Obesity-Related HFpEF

Mark C Petrie et al.Journal of the American College of Cardiology202410.1016/j.jacc.2024.04.022

Mikhail KosiborodUniversity of Glasgow, United Kingdom

semaglutideNT-proBNPObesity-related heart failure with preserved ejection fractionGLP-1 receptor agonistSTEP-HFpEF trialSTEP-HFpEF DM trialKCCQ Clinical Summary Scoremechanical unloadingHF pathobiologybaseline NT-proBNP stratificationhealth status improvementBody weight changeHeart failure symptomsphysical limitations
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#19 of 6,981
6118m citations

Finerenone and Kidney Outcomes in Patients With Heart Failure

Finnian R Mc Causland et al.Journal of the American College of Cardiology202410.1016/j.jacc.2024.10.091

Finnian R. Mc CauslandBrigham and Women's Hospital, United States

finerenoneHeart failure with mildly reduced ejection fractionHeart failure with preserved ejection fractionFINEARTS-HF trialeGFR declineRenal function worseningmaintenance dialysisrenal transplantationurine albumin/creatinine ratiomicroalbuminuriamacroalbuminuriachronic kidney diseasetype 2 diabetesMineralocorticoid receptor antagonistsalbuminuria reductionkidney-protective effectsLeft ventricular ejection fraction
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#20 of 6,981
6018m citations

The traditional Chinese medicine Qiliqiangxin in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Iokfai Cheang, Wenming Yao, Yanli Zhou et al.Nature Medicine202410.1038/s41591-024-03169-2

Haifeng Zhang, Anthony Rosenzweig, Zhenhua Jia, Xinli LiNanjing Medical University, China

QiliqiangxinHeart failure with reduced ejection fractionNT-proBNPLeft ventricular ejection fractionHeart failure hospitalizationCardiovascular mortalitycomposite primary outcomeAll-cause mortalitytraditional Chinese medicinestandard heart failure therapyhazard ratiomulticenter trialChina
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Dominant research themes and year-over-year shifts in Heart Failure Treatment and Management

What Topics Define the Class of 2026?

The Class of 2026 research in heart failure is overwhelmingly defined by treatments and outcomes for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Ejection fraction remains the central metric of interest, alongside cardiovascular mortality. However, the most distinctive trend is the surge in pharmacological interventions specifically targeting metabolic and obesity-related pathways in heart failure. GLP-1 receptor agonists have emerged as a dominant area of focus, reflecting the growing recognition of the intersection between cardiovascular disease and obesity. Similarly, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists have garnered significant attention, solidifying their role in modern heart failure management. These trends indicate a shift towards precision pharmacology and addressing systemic metabolic factors rather than isolated cardiac dysfunction.

Leading research themes
Leading research themes

How Did Topics Shift from the Class of 2025 to the Class of 2026?

The shift from 2025 to 2026 reveals a dramatic pivot in clinical trial focus and therapeutic strategies. The FINEARTS-HF trial saw an unprecedented rise, driving much of the discourse around new interventions. Correspondingly, research into obesity-related heart failure and weight loss therapies surged, aligning with the rise of GLP-1 receptor agonists. Conversely, previously dominant topics experienced notable declines. SGLT2 inhibitors, having been heavily researched in prior years and established in clinical guidelines, saw reduced relative focus. Research concerning the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire and traditional beta-blockers also decreased. This transition underscores a movement past foundational therapies towards novel, metabolically driven treatments for specific heart failure subpopulations.

How topics shifted year over year
How topics shifted year over year
Methodology

PRI identifies high-impact research using a transparent, topic-agnostic framework applied consistently across scientific domains. Bibliographic records are drawn from OpenAlex, including publication dates, citation relationships, and document types.

This ranking covers the Class of 2026 cohort: journal articles published in 2024. Reviews and other non-article document types are excluded to ensure comparability.

Research impact is quantified with an 18-month post-publication citation window—the number of citing works published within 18 months of each paper's publication date. This metric captures early impact while controlling for publication age.

An LLM-based relevance classifier then reviews each candidate's title and abstract to confirm substantive alignment with the target domain. Only papers classified as relevant appear in the final ranking.

Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459

Full methodologyGitHubbioRxiv preprint

Cite this ranking

Pepkio Research Index (PRI). Topics and Trends in Most Cited Heart Failure Treatment and Management Papers, Class of 2026. https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/heart-failure-treatment-and-management/2026. Accessed 2026-08-20.

Methodology
Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459