Heart failure diagnosis in the general community - who, how and when? A clinical consensus statement of the Heart Failure Association (HFA) of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC)

A significant proportion of patients experience delays in the diagnosis of heart failure due to the non-specific signs and symptoms of the syndrome. Diagnostic tools such as measurement of natriuretic peptide concentrations are fundamentally important when screening for heart failure, yet are frequently under-utilized. This clinical consensus statement provides a diagnostic framework for general practitioners and non-cardiology community-based physicians to recognize, investigate and risk-stratify patients presenting in the community with possible heart failure.

Automated summary

A significant number of patients with heart failure face delays in diagnosis due to the non-specific symptoms. Diagnostic tools like measurement of natriuretic peptide concentrations are crucial but often underutilized. This clinical consensus statement aims to provide a diagnostic framework for non-cardiology physicians in the community to recognize and investigate patients with possible heart failure.