Are general practitioners less likely to recommend treatment when given absolute data on its risks and benefits? A web-based randomized survey

The authors aimed to investigate whether presenting general practitioners (GPs) with absolute data on the risks and benefits of anticoagulation in atrial fibrillation would influence their treatment recommendations compared to traditional risk scoring tools. The study found that GPs were less likely to recommend anticoagulation when provided with absolute risk data, and even those who did recommend treatment rated their confidence lower. The findings suggest the importance of providing both guidelines and absolute data to support informed decision-making in clinical practice.