Heart failure & cardiomyopathies

Effect of age on 5-year excess mortality in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction

Eur J Heart FailPublished Matched cohort study

Authors' conclusion

HFrEF was associated with excess mortality across all age groups. Younger HFrEF patients had similar 5-year mortality as general population controls who were more than 20 years older.

Study context

Population
Patients aged 40 to 85 years with LVEF ≤40% undergoing coronary angiography for suspected cardiomyopathy, Western Denmark, 2010–2021
Participants
5,425 vs 27,087
Exposure
Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) vs matched general population controls, by age group
  • HFrEFn = 5,425
  • Controlsn = 27,087reference
Outcome
Excess mortality (mortality risk differences and hazard ratios (HRs)) across age groups
Follow-up
5 years
Methodological detailssex- and age-matched general population controls (up to 5 per patient)
  • Sex- and age-matched general population controls (up to 5 per patient)

Main finding

As reported in the abstract

5-year excess mortality by age
HFrEF vs ControlsRisk difference (95% CI)
Age 40 to 49 years (lowest)
6.8%(4.0–9.7)
Age 65 to 69 years (highest)
17.0%(13.8–20.2)
HFrEF vs ControlsHazard ratio (95% CI)
Age 40 to 49 years (highest relative risk; declined with increasing age)
6.41(3.73–11.05)

Observational data: associations, not effects.

Original publication

Effect of age on 5-year excess mortality in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Eur J Heart Fail. Published 26 March 2026. doi:10.1093/ejhf/xuag098

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