Elsevier

Public Health

Volume 191, February 2021, Pages 17-19
Public Health

Short Communication
The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on acute coronary syndrome hospitalizations and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Greece

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2020.12.006Get rights and content

Highlights

  • The monthly number of admissions for coronary syndromes for the pre-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was higher compared with the post-COVID-19 era.

  • The cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests were nominally lower in the prepandemic compared with the postpandemic era.

  • Mechanical complications of myocardial infarction are witnessed in the COVID-19 era due to delayed presentation of patients.

  • There may be unintended consequences of the pandemic in countries with fewer COVID-19 cases and fatalities but prompt measures of social contact restrictions.

Abstract

Objectives

After coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, striking decreases in the number of hospital admissions for acute coronary syndromes (ACSs) and rises in rates of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) have been noted.

Study design

This is an analysis of prospectively collected data from a cardiology department in a single, large volume hospital of the National Health System of the Metropolitan area of Athens.

Methods

We investigated the numbers of OHCA and hospital admissions for ACS during a 1-year period and made comparisons between the pre-COVID-19 and the COVID-19 outbreak periods.

Results

One hundred and eighty five patients were admitted during the total period of observation with the diagnosis of ACS. The mean monthly number of admissions for ACS for the pre-COVID-19 era was significantly higher than that for the post-COVID-19 era (20.1 ± 7.8 vs 8.8 ± 6.5 admissions, Ρ = 0.024). The cases of OHCA which were transferred to our emergency room department by emergency medical services during the same period were nominally lower in the prepandemic compared with the postpandemic era (1.9 ± 1.7 vs 4.0 ± 4.6, P = 0.28).

Conclusions

The present study provides hints on the potential unintended consequences of the pandemic in countries characterized by fewer COVID-19 cases and fatalities but prompt measures of social contact restrictions and lockdown.

Keywords

SARS-CoV-2
COVID-19
Lock-down
Public health
Social policy

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