Treatment burden should be included in clinical practice guidelines

Implementation of medical treatment regimens demands a lot of time and effort and can result in substantial burden for patients with chronic conditions. Guideline recommendations, however, are traditionally made from a perspective that places the highest value on achieving certain clinical outcomes (such as reducing shortness of breath or increasing survival). More recent guidelines may consider patients’ values and the acceptability and feasibility of the recommended action, but the treatment burden is not made explicit. This makes it hard for patients to make informed decisions about treatments in line with their values and capacity.