Guidelines in Cardio-Oncology: The Balance Between Evidence and Expert Opinion

AbstractPurpose of reviewWhile expert opinion is an important tool in the development of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs), it must be used judiciously and balanced with the available evidence. In this review, we carefully examine the role of balancing evidence and expert opinion in the context of the 2022 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Cardio-Oncology guidelines, including the factors that influence the weight given to expert opinion and potential impact on health care systems adhering to specific guideline recommendations.Recent findingsIn an attempt to be all-encompassing, the 2022 ESC guidelines risk diluting important recommendations with low-quality recommendations lacking consensus. Adherence to, as well as deviation from, guidelines may have important unintended consequences to stakeholders.SummaryThe 2022 ESC guidelines should be viewed as a catalyst for the cardio-oncology community to generate higher quality evidence to address existing gaps in knowledge while also recognizing the current constraints in providing care to patients with cancer.
Source: Current Treatment Options in Cardiovascular Medicine - Category: Cardiology Source Type: research