Scientists in Russia warn COVID-19 Pandemic Could cause an increase in heart disease
Scientists in Russia warned of the possibility that there will be a sharp increase in heart disease in the next three to five years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The findings raise concern for patients at risk or who live with such conditions, as cardiovascular diseases remain the main cause of death worldwide, killing approximately 18 million people annually.
Researchers at the ICG’s Center for Therapy and Prophylaxis have studied the impact of psychosocial factors on the development of cardiovascular diseases since the 1980s.
It showed that procedures most impacted included lengthier ones and those where the risk of exposure to COVID-19 infections could increase. Exercise stress tests, for example, where droplets of sweat and saliva are likely to be released in the air, were the most disrupted. This widespread method for determining heart fitness was reduced by 78% overall, while invasive procedures that include the insertion of tubes to obtain ultrasound images, such as transesophageal echocardiography, declined by 76%. More routine transthoracic echocardiograms – common heart ultrasound using electrodes placed on the chest – declined by 59 %, and more complex procedures such as coronary angiography decreased by 55%.
The decreases were 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. Shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) for medical staff, including high filtration masks, were also reported in 22% of centres, hampering their ability to carry out procedures.
According to their calculations, burn-out syndrome would risk developing ischemic heart disease, cerebral haemorrhage and high blood pressure by 150 to 200 percent after this complex epidemiological situation.
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