This website and its contents have not been updated since May 2012.
Some of the content on this website may be out of date, please use caution if using it to inform practice.
For all current products please view Medicines and prescribing support from NICE.
Patient decision aids – directory
NPC legacy site
Note: the therapeutics information on this page has not been reviewed since May 2012, when the NPC became the NICE Medicines and Prescribing Centre (MPC).
Important new evidence is highlighted in the MPC’s current awareness bulletins (incorporating medicines evidence commentaries) and also in NICE evidence updates and Eyes on Evidence. These are searchable via www.evidence.nhs.uk
These patient decision aids (PDAs) have been developed to help support difficult decisions in which patients need to consider benefits versus risks. Decision aids prepare patients for decision-making by increasing their knowledge about expected outcomes and personal values. The PDAs are based on the best available evidence but are not a substitute for a discussion with a suitably skilled healthcare professional. We hope that their use in such discussions will result in better informed, patient-focused decision-making.
The links below will take you directly to the relevant PDAs, which you can download and print. We recommend that, before using a PDA for the first time, you look at the clinical evidence behind the decision aid. This is explored in the e-learning materials for that topic. Alerts to new information which may affect the evidence base are continually added to the e-learning pages.
Help to get the best out of our patient decision aids
We have prepared some background information on PDAs, which we suggest you read before using our PDAs for the first time.
Download an introduction to the ideas behind PDAs.
Download suggestions on how to use PDAs.
Download supporting information about relative and absolute risk, and the evidence-base for the use of PDAs.
Let us know what you think about our PDAs and how you use them
We are always grateful for feedback, indeed without it most of this work would not have been possible. For feedback and enquiries, please email nice@nice.org.uk
PDAs by BNF chapter headings
Ch 2 Cardiovascular system
Ch 3 Respiratory system
Ch 4 Central nervous system (including mental health)
Ch 5 Infections
Ch 6 Endocrine system
Ch 7 Obstetrics, gynaecology and urinary tract disorders
Ch 8 Malignant disease and immunosuppression
Ch 10 Musculoskeletal and joint diseases
Cardiovascular system
- Antiplatelets – aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease
- Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) – aspirin plus clopidogrel versus aspirin
- Atrial fibrillation – Antithrombotic therapy
- Statins – Prevention of cardiovascular events
- Post-MI – Warfarin plus aspirin or aspirin alone
- Heart failure — ACE inhibitor treatment
- Heart failure — beta blocker treatment
Respiratory system
Central Nervous System
- Dementia – Cholinesterase inhibitors
- Dementia – Antipsychotics for behavioural and psychological symptoms
- Insomnia – treatment with hypnotics
- Schizophrenia – Antipsychotic drugs
Common Infections
Endocrine system
- Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) – Combined
- Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) – oestrogen-only
- Type 2 diabetes – blood pressure control
- Type 2 diabetes – metformin treatment
- Type 2 diabetes – tight control of blood glucose using sulphonylurea drugs or insulin
Obstetrics, gynaecology and urinary tract disorders
- Oral contraceptives – Effectiveness, risk of thromboembolism, breast cancer and cervical cancer
- Urinary tract infections – Antibiotics
Malignant disease and immunosuppression
- Prostate cancer screening patient decision aid
- Breast cancer screening (Mammography)
- Use of trastuzumab▼ (Herceptin®) in early stage breast cancer
Musculoskeletal and joint diseases
- Osteoarthritis (Analgesics, topical NSAIDs, oral NSAIDs, exercise)
- Pain overview – Pain assessment scales
