Therapeutic interventions for heart failure in Colombia: result of a Delphi panel

Abstract

Objective The objective of this study was to validate the main therapies used in the treatment of heart failure through a clinical consensus conducted by cardiology experts in Colombia. Methods The Delphi technique was employed, which involves a series of consultation rounds with experts to reach a consensus. Cardiologists with experience in HF treatment were selected, and they were sent electronic questionnaires to assess the relevance of various therapeutic interventions. Consensus was defined when at least 70% of the experts agreed on the relevance of an intervention. Results Fourteen cardiology experts participated in the study. In the first round, nine therapeutic interventions were evaluated, but insufficient agreement was reached to form a consensus. A second round was conducted, where feedback was provided to the experts, and they were asked to rate the relevance of the interventions using a Likert scale. Consensus was achieved for eight of the evaluated therapeutic interventions. The focus of the third round was on the interventions that had not reached consensus in the previous rounds. Conclusions This study provides clinical consensus on therapeutic interventions for HF in Colombia. Nine therapeutic interventions were identified as relevant by the experts. These findings can help improve HF treatment and optimize clinical outcomes in Colombia. It is important to note that this study was conducted with local experts, and the results may not be generalizable to other populations. © 2024 Pérez Molina et al.