Is the 2016 ESC diagnostic algorithm useful for assessing the prevalence of chronic heart failure in population-based studies?

Background: Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a major healthcare problem. However, there are no epidemiological studies assessing the prevalence of CHF in the general population with diagnosis based on algorithms recommended for clinical practice.

Aim: The aim of the HF-Pomorskie survey was to assess the prevalence of three basic components of the 2016 ESC diagnostic algorithm for CHF (symptoms, N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide [NT-proBNP], and abnormalities on echocardiography) and to determine whether this algorithm may be applicable to studies in general population samples.