Chronic Heart Failure Methods NICE 2018. All rights reserved. Subject to Notice of rights. ISBN: 978-1-4731-3093-7 The committee considered the appropriate strength of each recommendation. This takes into account the quality of the evidence but is conceptually different. Some recommendations are strong in that the committee believes that the vast majority of healthcare and other professionals and patients would choose a particular intervention if they considered the evidence in the same way that the committee has. This is generally the case if the benefits clearly outweigh the harms for most people and the intervention is likely to be cost effective. However, there is often a closer balance between benefits and harms, and some patients would not choose an intervention whereas others would. This may happen, for example, if some patients are particularly averse to some side effect and others are not. In these circumstances the recommendation is generally weaker, although it may be possible to make stronger recommendations about specific groups of patients. The committee focused on the following factors in agreeing the wording of the recommendations: The actions health professionals need to take. The information readers need to know. The strength of the recommendation (for example the word offer was used for strong recommendations and consider for weaker recommendations). The involvement of patients (and their carers if needed) in decisions on treatment and care. Consistency with NICE s standard advice on recommendations about drugs, waiting times and ineffective interventions (see section 9.2 in the NICE guidelines manual236 ). The main considerations specific to each recommendation are outlined in the Recommendations and link to evidence sections within each chapter. 4.5.1 Research recommendations When areas were identified for which good evidence was lacking, the committee considered making recommendations for future research. 