MICE or NICE? An economic evaluation of clinical decision rules in the diagnosis of heart failure in primary care

摘要

BackgroundDetection and treatment of heart failure (HF) can improve quality of life and reduce premature mortality. However, symptoms such as breathlessness are common in primary care, have a variety of causes and not all patients require cardiac imaging. In systems where healthcare resources are limited, ensuring those patients who are likely to have HF undergo appropriate and timely investigation is vital.