Failure of Guidelines and Consensus Statements to Recommend Follow-up for Chronic Cardiovascular Conditions

Follow-up of chronic medical conditions affects subsequent outcomes through adherence and early detection of progression of disease. Examples include adherence to anticoagulation therapy improving stroke rates and survival in atrial fibrillation,1 adherence to guideline-directed medical therapy improving survival in heart failure,2,3 and regular clinic follow-up of asymptomatic aortic stenosis identifying the optimal time for valve replacement.4,5 While close follow-up of chronic cardiac conditions can improve outcomes,6 and lack of follow-up is a barrier to medication adherence,7 we have observed that practitioners in our hospitals are often uncertain about optimal follow-up strategies.
Source: Heart and Lung - Category: Intensive Care Authors: Source Type: research