RT Journal
A1 Svanström H, Pasternak B, Hviid A
T1 LOsartan vs candesartan for heart failure—reply
JF JAMA
JO JAMA
YR 2012
FD July 25
VO 308
IS 4
SP 336
OP 337
DO 10.1001/jama.2012.7644
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2012.7644
AB 
First, Lund and Benson question the general validity of ICD codes for the identification of heart failure, and reference a systematic review1 showing significant variation across different data sources. However, the specific data source used in our study for the identification of heart failure patients has been validated with positive predictive values ranging from 81% to 100%.2- 3 This should be well within what is considered an adequate predictive value. Additionally, the study patient characteristics (Table 1 in article), such as the high baseline prevalence of cardiovascular disorders and risk factors (eg, 49% with ischemic heart disease and 18% with diabetes), together with the 37% mortality (during a median 1.9 years of follow-up), reflect a study population with severe morbidity, typical for patients with heart failure.