Shared Decisions

Shared decision-making is when patients and clinicians work as a team to make care decisions. Tools can help you talk with your clinician about your care options and concerns. The tools also help you:

• Increase your knowledge and satisfaction with care
• Define clearer goals for treatment
• Align health decisions with your values

Use this resource to find decision aids to use and learn how they can help you understand your options.

Find Decision Aids

The American College of Cardiology is committed to empowering patients to help them make informed health decisions.

The college has created decision aids for people with:

• Atrial fibrillation considering blood thinners or left atrial appendage closure to prevent strokes
• Aortic stenosis considering heart valve replacement
• Heart failure considering medicines or devices such as an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) or left ventricular assist device (LVAD)

ACC also has a suite of decision aids for ICDs to support patients considering whether to have an ICD placed. The three ICD decision aids cover heart failure, other conditions, and secondary prevention. There are long and short versions of each. Visit CardioSmart.org/ICDs to learn more. 

For each decision aid, experts conduct a complete review of the studies and treatments for a condition. Afterward, they sum up the information to help you and your clinician choose the best course based on your values and needs.

Stakeholders in the process, including patients, caregivers and clinicians, review the tools to make sure the content is accurate, unbiased and understandable.