More than 50 % of Heart Attack Patients Avoid Hospitals Due to COVID-19
A study conducted by the European Society Cardiology (ESC) shows that a high percentage of heart patients around the world are at risk as their fear of COVID-19 prevents them from going to hospitals for treatment.
COVID-19 Outbreak and Heart Attack Patients
ESC has conducted this international online survey to check the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak in the number of hospital admissions of patients with life-threatening cardiovascular emergencies, particularly those that suffer from ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) which is known as the most severe heart attacks.
3,101 healthcare professionals in 141 countries participated in the survey that was conducted in mid-April.
A consequence of the COVID-19 Outbreak
According to the survey results, one of the consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak is that fewer patients with severe heart attacks went to the hospital due to the fear of catching the coronavirus.
78.8 % of the respondents perceived this change as shown in the graph below.
Photo Source: European Society Cardiology
“This is the strongest evidence yet of the collateral damage caused by the pandemic. Fear of catching the coronavirus means even people in the midst of a life-threatening heart attack are too afraid to go to hospital for life-saving treatment. There has been a lack of public reassurance that every effort has been made to provide clean hospital areas for non-COVID-19 patients.” – ESC President Professor Barbara Casadei
Notable Decrease in STEMI-related Hospital Admissions
What’s more alarming is that the survey reported that the number of admitted STEMI patients in most continents decreased by more than 41%,resulting to an average of 50% drop in those coming to hospitals.
Photo Source: European Society Cardiology
Late Presentation of Heart Attack Patients
Moreover, ESC found out that 48 % on average of the STEMI patients presented at hospitals later than usual as a result of the pandemic and the fear of infection.
Risk of Dying from Heart Attack is Greater than COVID-19
According to Professor Barbara Casadei, the ESC President, patients’ fears of becoming infected by going to the hospital must be addressed. Based on another study by ESC, every year, 17.9 million people die due to Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) which makes it the primary cause of death in the world. And, 85 % of these deaths are caused by heart attack and stroke.
The ESC President said, “They need to be assured that the in-hospital risk of coronavirus infection has been minimized for patients being admitted with heart attacks or strokes.”
“Cardiac death is largely preventable if patients with a heart attack come to hospital in time to get treatment. What we are witnessing is an unnecessary loss of life. Our priority must be to stop this from happening. We must continue to save the lives we know how to save,” she added.
REFERENCES:
European Society Cardiology Survey
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