As COVID-19 cases continue to present but with variable incidence of new cases by region, there is growing public interest in the appropriate timing of returning to "normal" life. Health care is even more challenged with the concerns of staff risk balanced with patient needs and the potential risk of delay of treatment. ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) events are reduced,¹ but it is unclear how much of this reduction is related to under-recognized or untreated events. The most recent multi-society guidelines² reaffirm that primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains the appropriate treatment for STEMI. Likewise, delaying/deferring non-urgent but needed patient tests and procedures potentially increases risk. Furthermore, patients may even start to perceive that the delay means they don't have an important problem and subsequently not seek care if a more urgent problem occurs. Based on these challenges and unknowns, this poll is designed to gauge the response of medical professionals to returning to "business as usual" patient management. (Your responses assume appropriately available personal protective equipment for staff involved in patient care.)

References

1. Garcia S, Albaghdadi MS, Meraj PM, et al. Reduction in ST-Segment Elevation Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory Activations in the United States during COVID-19 Pandemic. J Am Coll Cardiol 2020;Apr 9:[Epub ahead of print].
2. Mahmud E, Dauerman HL, Welt FG, et al. Management of Acute Myocardial Infarction During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv 2020;Apr 20:[Epub ahead of print].

Clinical Topics: COVID-19 Hub, Invasive Cardiovascular Angiography and Intervention, Noninvasive Imaging, Stable Ischemic Heart Disease, Vascular Medicine, Interventions and Imaging, Interventions and Vascular Medicine, Angiography, Nuclear Imaging, Chronic Angina

Keywords: Coronary Angiography, ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction, COVID-19, Coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2

< Back to Listings