Dr. Suresh Kumar shares valuable insights regarding dealing with cardiac emergencies in this COVID - 19 lockdown period. As COVID -19 cases go global, a picture is emerging as to its cardiovascular impact and how cardiologists in hard hit regions are coping. The World is facing unprecedented challenges due to COVID – 19 pandemic. However, Life has to go on.
Cardiac patients are high risk
Patients with underlying cardiovascular are at a higher risk of contracting COVID – 19 and have a worse prognosis. There are increasing reports of cardiac emergencies and cardiac events happening globally and cardiovascular diseases being the number one cause of death world-wide. So, 24 X 7 care of cardiac patients become essential. We have to cater to their needs, be it a cardiac emergency or an acute cardiac event or managing patients with chronic cardiac problem visiting the hospital for their regular follow-up. It’s a highly stressful period. Not only cardiac patients are at a higher risk of developing COVID – 19 related complications; once infected, COVID – 19 infection itself may cause heart attack, myocarditis, cardiac failure, arrhythmia. These facts emphasize the quality of treatment needed for all cardiac patients. All COVID – related and non COVID related cardiac emergencies need detailed protocol, meticulous planning - assisted by a specialty team.
All COVID patients may present with heart ache, breathing difficulties, cardiac failure, arrhythmia and so also non – COVID patients. We are not aware of the patient’s COVID status when he reports at the casualty. So, their management has to be carried out following national guidelines meticulously. Each hospital needs to plan their own strategies to give quality and emergency care to such patients to prevent mortality and morbidity.
Cardiac patients are high risk
Patients with underlying cardiovascular are at a higher risk of contracting COVID – 19 and have a worse prognosis. There are increasing reports of cardiac emergencies and cardiac events happening globally and cardiovascular diseases being the number one cause of death world-wide. So, 24 X 7 care of cardiac patients become essential. We have to cater to their needs, be it a cardiac emergency or an acute cardiac event or managing patients with chronic cardiac problem visiting the hospital for their regular follow-up. It’s a highly stressful period. Not only cardiac patients are at a higher risk of developing COVID – 19 related complications; once infected, COVID – 19 infection itself may cause heart attack, myocarditis, cardiac failure, arrhythmia. These facts emphasize the quality of treatment needed for all cardiac patients. All COVID – related and non COVID related cardiac emergencies need detailed protocol, meticulous planning - assisted by a specialty team.
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All COVID patients may present with heart ache, breathing difficulties, cardiac failure, arrhythmia and so also non – COVID patients. We are not aware of the patient’s COVID status when he reports at the casualty. So, their management has to be carried out following national guidelines meticulously. Each hospital needs to plan their own strategies to give quality and emergency care to such patients to prevent mortality and morbidity.