Table 3

Considering further diagnostic steps—influencing factors

Patient and social factors
  • Attitude towards diagnosis, follow-up and treatment

  • Lifestyle, self-care and compliance

  • Choice for a palliative care approach

  • Age, frailty and impact of stay in a long-term care facility

  • Length of GP–patient relationship

  • Language barrier

  • Comorbidities that influence clinical assessment

GP factors
  • Perceived value of cardiologist referral and an objectified HF diagnosis regarding:

    • Implications for further treatment

    • GPs’ priorities

  • Dealing with diagnostic uncertainty

  • Diastolic versus systolic HF

  • GP, general practitioner; HF, heart failure.