[Informed consent in cardiology. The Committee on Informed Consent of the Commission on Professional Matters of the Sociedad Española de Cardiología].

In the last thirty years, the clinical relationship between physicians and patients has been rather modified. There are several factors that have contributed to this change: a) New ways to execute medical practises, specially referred to the development of new techniques; b) Cultural changes in our western society, mainly in the mediterranean area, where there has been progress in the recognition of patients' autonomy to decide about their own lives, health and their own bodies; c) The increasing number of lawsuits, complaints and judgements about the problems that clinical information involves, particularly the informed consent in clinical practise. We consider it necessary to make an extensive and deep discussion from all of the areas in Medicine and Law, to analyze the different ethical and legal parts of the informed consent. For that reason the Spanish Society of Cardiology offers their members a basic document in order to reflect about these facts, developing arguments, justifications and supports. This document has also considered models, conditions to their applicability according to Spanish law, and the experience we have had. Finally, there is a list of diagnostic procedures and interventional practises in cardiology that might be preceded by a written informed consent document. We considered them by the name of Spanish Society of Cardiology recommendations.