The article presents a brief analytical review of the European Society of Cardiology consensus statement on the definition and clinical features of heart failure (HF) with a summary of the latest results on the treatment and prevention of exacerbation. The main viewpoints are compared with existing approaches in the Russian Federation. The definition and classification of worsening HF (WHF), as well as its main clinical manifestations, epidemiology, outcomes, pathophysiology, approaches to early detection, patterns of in- and outpatient treatment of WHF are discussed. Attention is paid to the terminology necessary to identify a cohort of patients with HF exacerbation with a previously established diagnosis of HF in order to unify approaches to diagnosis and treatment.