Table 8 Criteria for stratification and number of patients by group

Group

Criteria

1 Patients who definitively had HF:

• HF diagnosis recorded in the diagnosis/condition section, or

3193

3026

• HF diagnosis recorded or as free text in the notes, or

8744

8103

• Having had an HF-specific medication, or

4773

4132

• EF reduced (from free text in the notes), or

144

137

• BNP/ NT-ProBNP above HF cut-offs, or

50

45

• Recorded ejection fraction (EF) < 40%, or

12

11

• EF ≥40 - < 50% and typical symptoms and signs recorded in the notes, or

10

10

• EF ≥40 - < 50% & use of a loop diuretic

4

4

2 Patients who had a probable diagnosis of HF:

• EF ≥40 - < 50%, or

19

19

• Typical symptoms and signs recorded in the notes AND any of the following:

• BNP/ NT-ProBNP in the inconclusive ranges

38

38

• Use of a loop diuretic

4754

4635

• Documented EF > 50%

62

60

3 Patients where HF was possible:

• Two or more of the less typical symptoms and signs recorded either in the diagnosis/condition section or in the notes, or

109

107

• Typical symptoms and signs recorded either in the diagnosis/condition section or in the notes (only), or

36,224

33,278

• EF > 50% or EF found in notes, but no percentage recorded, or

100

100

• BNP/ NT-ProBNP in the inconclusive ranges

84

71