title: Priorities for comparative effectiveness reviews in cardiovascular disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Comparative effectiveness reviews offer a systematic method to critically appraise existing research and to identify unaddressed clinical areas in cardiovascular disease where significant morbidity, mortality, and variation in the use of resources persist. To delineate and help select areas where comparative effectiveness reviews are needed, the Effective Health Care Program of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality involved stakeholders in prioritization of the research agenda.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We involved a diverse panel of stakeholders representing a broad range of clinical, policy, and patient perspectives. To assist in prioritization of topics for evidence synthesis, we created a framework evaluating 12 cardiovascular disease subcategories that reflect American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association disease-based guidelines. We performed an environmental scan for each disease subcategory to populate this framework with existing knowledge, levels of evidence, and degrees of public interest. Through a formalized process, 4 disease subcategories were prioritized: chronic coronary artery disease, ventricular arrhythmias, heart failure, and cerebrovascular disease. Within these subcategories, 11 topics that address the comparative safety and effectiveness of existing treatments and evaluate emerging treatments were nominated by the stakeholder panel to proceed for feasibility assessment before developing comparative effectiveness reviews.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using a systematic process deriving consensus from multiple stakeholders across cardiovascular disease states, we generated a prioritized list of evidence synthesis topics to inform decision makers. The topics vetted through this process seek to determine the comparative safety and effectiveness of a range of treatments, both established and emerging, and are immediately relevant for prevalent disease states.
authors.affiliation: Duke Evidence-based Practice Center and Department of Medicine, Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC.
authors.forename: Zubin J
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Eapen
authors.forename: Amanda J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: McBroom
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Musty
authors.forename: Corey
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hadley
authors.forename: Adrian F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Hernandez
authors.forename: Gillian D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Sanders
mesh_terms: D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000628:therapy; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000628:therapy; D002908:Chronic Disease; D057186:Comparative Effectiveness Research; D032921:Consensus; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000628:therapy; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D015276:Health Care Rationing; D006292:Health Priorities; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D015995:Prevalence; D016896:Treatment Outcome