NICE to revamp chronic heart failure guidance

pharmafile | January 18, 2010 | News story | |  NHS, NICE, chronic heart failure 

NICE is moving to update its clinical guidance on the management of chronic heart failure in adults.

Draft recommendations are available to view now and will form the basis of a replacement for the Institute’s 2003 guidelines, adding in recent evidence from randomised controlled trials in diagnosis, treatment and monitoring.

Heart failure is one of the biggest killers in the UK and the most common cause is coronary artery disease, with a majority of patients having previously suffered from a heart attack.

Dr Fergus Macbeth, director of the Centre for Clinical Practice at NICE, said: “The prevalence of heart failure is expected to rise in the future as people live longer generally, people survive longer with coronary artery disease and there are better treatments for heart failure.

“It’s clearly very important that clinicians working in this area have a guideline that is based on the most up-to-date evidence of what works best. This new draft guideline outlines a comprehensive approach to the management of heart failure, and ultimately seeks to improve the length and quality of life of people with the condition.”

The draft recommendations are available here.

Anyone wishing to submit comments on the draft guidance is invited to do so via the NICE website before 10 March.