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Procedures to diagnose and treat heart disease fell by almost two-thirds in spring 2020 compared to 2019, a study suggested Friday, in the latest sign of the coronavirus pandemic’s effect on broader healthcare systems.
The survey from the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) found there was a 64% reduction in cardiology diagnostic procedures in March to April 2020 compared with the same period in the previous year, with “abrupt and significant” impact on services evident across all regions.
Around 718,000 cardiac diagnostic procedures were not performed in the centers surveyed in those two months due to the effects of the first wave of the pandemic, the authors say.
The survey looked at data on several procedures to evaluate heart health such as echocardiograms, angiographies and exercise stress tests.
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The IAEA says the slump in the number of procedures was “mostly due to avoidance of tests by patients out of fear of possible exposure to COVID-19 in a hospital setting, fewer appointment slots due to extended disinfection measures between patients, and avoidance of tests that involve aerosolization to minimize personnel exposure risks”.
It added that shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) for medical staff were also reported in 22% of centers, adding to the difficulty of carrying out procedures. The study is based on responses from over 900 institutions in 108 countries.
