A clinical guideline is a systematically developed statement designed to help clinicians and patients make informed decisions about appropriate care for specific clinical circumstances. Guidelines are produced by authoritative bodies using formal processes of evidence review, expert consensus and public consultation, and are regularly updated as new evidence emerges.
In the UK, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) produces guidelines covering clinical management, public health and social care across the NHS. NICE guidance is not legally binding but is expected to be followed unless there is a good clinical reason to depart from it, and commissioning of NHS services is expected to reflect NICE recommendations. Relevant NICE guidelines for the SCA UK audience include those covering cardiac arrest (CG167), implantable cardioverter-defibrillators and cardiac resynchronisation therapy (TA314), heart failure (NG106), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (NG183), and PTSD (NG116, relevant for psychological recovery after cardiac arrest).
In Europe, the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) publishes comprehensive clinical practice guidelines on cardiac conditions, which are highly influential and are followed by many UK cardiologists alongside NICE guidance. International resuscitation guidelines are produced by the European Resuscitation Council (ERC) and, globally, by the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR), which reviews the science of resuscitation and publishes updated consensus statements periodically.
For patients and families, guidelines provide reassurance that recommended treatments have been rigorously evaluated. When a doctor recommends a particular medication, device or procedure, it is likely to be supported by one or more evidence-based guidelines. If you want to understand the evidence behind your own care, asking the clinical team which guidelines they are following, or looking up published NICE guidance, can be a helpful starting point.
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