Helping patients to make decisions about treatments for aortic stenosis and coronary artery disease

Extract This Science for Patients issue refers to ‘Patient decision aids for aortic stenosis and chronic coronary artery disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis’ by E. Harris et al, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurjcn/zvad138 This Science for Patients issue investigates the quality, development, and effectiveness of patient decision aids to help patients and families choose between treatment options for aortic stenosis (a condition of the aortic valve in the heart) and chronic coronary artery disease (long-lasting narrowed arteries in the heart). Patient decision aids are tools (paper-based or digital) that help people choose between different treatment options. Ideally, they should be given to patients well in advance of any consultation where treatments are to be considered. Patient decision aids help people get more involved in choosing their treatment by explaining that they have a decision to make, outlining the treatment options, and describing the risks and benefits of each. This helps patients and those close to them to think about their preferences and make a decision that is right for them. Providing decision support to patients is especially important when a choice needs to be made between two treatments that have similar outcomes.