Adverse Outcomes during Postpartum Readmissions after Deliveries Complicated by Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy

Objective This study aimed to characterize risk for postpartum complications based on specific hypertensive diagnosis at delivery. Study Design This retrospective cohort study used the 2010 to 2014 Nationwide Readmissions Database to identify 60-day postpartum readmissions. Delivery hospitalizations were categorized based on hypertensive diagnoses as follows: (1) preeclampsia with severe features, (2) superimposed preeclampsia, (3) chronic hypertension, (4) preeclampsia without severe features, (5) gestational hypertension, or (6) no hypertensive diagnosis. Risks for 60-day readmission was determined based on hypertensive diagnosis at delivery. The following adverse outcomes during readmissions were analyzed: (1) stroke, (2) pulmonary edema and heart failure, (3) eclampsia, and (4) severe maternal morbidity (SMM). We fit multivariable log-linear regression models to assess the magnitude of association between hypertensive diagnoses at delivery and risks for readmission and associated complications with adjusted risk ratios (aRR) as measures of effect. Results From 2010 to 2014, 15.7 million estimated delivery hospitalizations were included in the analysis. Overall risk for 60-day postpartum readmission was the highest among women with superimposed preeclampsia (6.6%), followed by preeclampsia with severe features (5.2%), chronic hypertension (4.0%), preeclampsia without severe features (3.9%), gestational hypertension (2.9%), and women without a hypertensive diagnosis (1.5%). In adjusted analyses for pulmonary edema and heart failure as the outcome, risks were the highest for preeclampsia with severe features (aRR = 7.82, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.03, 10.14), superimposed preeclampsia (aRR = 8.21, 95% CI: 5.79, 11.63), and preeclampsia without severe features (aRR = 8.87, 95% CI: 7.06, 11.15). In the adjusted model for stroke, risks were similarly highest for these three hypertensive diagnoses. Evaluating risks for SMM during postpartum readmission, chronic hypertension and superimposed preeclampsia were associated with the highest risks. Conclusion Chronic hypertension was associated with increased risk for a broad range of adverse postpartum outcomes. Risk estimates associated with chronic hypertension with and without superimposed preeclampsia were similar to preeclampsia with severe features for several outcomes. Key Points

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Telehealth for High-Risk Pregnancies in the Setting of the COVID-19 Pandemic

American Journal of Perinatology ◽

10.1055/s-0040-1712121 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 37 (08) ◽

pp. 800-808 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Aleha Aziz ◽

Noelia Zork ◽

Janice J. Aubey ◽

Caitlin D. Baptiste ◽

Mary E. D'Alton ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Risk ◽

Prenatal Care ◽

Gestational Hypertension ◽

Medical Center ◽

Adverse Outcomes ◽

Chronic Hypertension ◽

Hospital System ◽

Clinical Scenarios ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Virtual Visits

As New York City became an international epicenter of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, telehealth was rapidly integrated into prenatal care at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, an academic hospital system in Manhattan. Goals of implementation were to consolidate in-person prenatal screening, surveillance, and examinations into fewer in-person visits while maintaining patient access to ongoing antenatal care and subspecialty consultations via telehealth virtual visits. The rationale for this change was to minimize patient travel and thus risk for COVID-19 exposure. Because a large portion of obstetric patients had underlying medical or fetal conditions placing them at increased risk for adverse outcomes, prenatal care telehealth regimens were tailored for increased surveillance and/or counseling. Based on the incorporation of telehealth into prenatal care for high-risk patients, specific recommendations are made for the following conditions, clinical scenarios, and services: (1) hypertensive disorders of pregnancy including preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, and chronic hypertension; (2) pregestational and gestational diabetes mellitus; (3) maternal cardiovascular disease; (4) maternal neurologic conditions; (5) history of preterm birth and poor obstetrical history including prior stillbirth; (6) fetal conditions such as intrauterine growth restriction, congenital anomalies, and multiple gestations including monochorionic placentation; (7) genetic counseling; (8) mental health services; (9) obstetric anesthesia consultations; and (10) postpartum care. While telehealth virtual visits do not fully replace in-person encounters during prenatal care, they do offer a means of reducing potential patient and provider exposure to COVID-19 while providing consolidated in-person testing and services. Key Points

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Diabetes and Heart Failure: Is it Hyperglycemia or Hyperinsulinemia?

Current Vascular Pharmacology ◽

10.2174/1570161117666190408164326 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

pp. 148-157 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Triantafyllos Didangelos ◽

Konstantinos Kantartzis

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Insulin Treatment ◽

Close Association ◽

Adverse Outcomes ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Appropriate Treatment ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Treatment Of Diabetes

The cardiac effects of exogenously administered insulin for the treatment of diabetes (DM) have recently attracted much attention. In particular, it has been questioned whether insulin is the appropriate treatment for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and heart failure. While several old and some new studies suggested that insulin treatment has beneficial effects on the heart, recent observational studies indicate associations of insulin treatment with an increased risk of developing or worsening of pre-existing heart failure and higher mortality rates. However, there is actually little evidence that the associations of insulin administration with any adverse outcomes are causal. On the other hand, insulin clearly causes weight gain and may also cause serious episodes of hypoglycemia. Moreover, excess of insulin (hyperinsulinemia), as often seen with the use of injected insulin, seems to predispose to inflammation, hypertension, dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, heart failure, and arrhythmias. Nevertheless, it should be stressed that most of the data concerning the effects of insulin on cardiac function derive from in vitro studies with isolated animal hearts. Therefore, the relevance of the findings of such studies for humans should be considered with caution. In the present review, we summarize the existing data about the potential positive and negative effects of insulin on the heart and attempt to answer the question whether any adverse effects of insulin or the consequences of hyperglycemia are more important and may provide a better explanation of the close association of DM with heart failure.

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Serum uric acid, influence of sacubitril/valsartan, and cardiovascular outcomes in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: PARAGON-HF

European Heart Journal ◽

10.1093/ehjci/ehaa946.1066 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽

Author(s):

S Selvaraj ◽

B.L Claggett ◽

D.V Veldhuisen ◽

I.S Anand ◽

B Pieske ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Uric Acid ◽

Ejection Fraction ◽

Serum Uric Acid ◽

Primary Outcome ◽

Adverse Outcomes ◽

Funding Source ◽

Preserved Ejection Fraction ◽

Private Company ◽

Increased Risk

Abstract Background Serum uric acid (SUA) is a biomarker of several pathobiologies relevant to the pathogenesis of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), though by itself may also worsen outcomes. In HF with reduced EF, SUA is independently associated with adverse outcomes and sacubitril/valsartan reduces SUA compared to enalapril. These effects in HFpEF have not been delineated. Purpose To determine the prognostic value of SUA, relationship of change in SUA to quality of life and outcomes, and influence of sacubitril/valsartan on SUA in HFpEF. Methods We analyzed 4,795 participants from the Prospective Comparison of ARNI with ARB Global Outcomes in HF with Preserved Ejection Fraction (PARAGON-HF) trial. We related baseline hyperuricemia to the primary outcome (CV death and total HF hospitalization), its components, myocardial infarction or stroke, and a renal composite outcome. At the 4-month visit, the relationship between SUA change and Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire overall summary score (KCCQ-OSS) and several biomarkers including N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were also assessed. We simultaneously adjusted for baseline and time-updated SUA to determine whether lowering SUA was associated with clinical benefit. Results Average age was 73±8 years and 52% were women. After multivariable adjustment, hyperuricemia was associated with increased risk for most outcomes (primary outcome HR 1.61, 95% CI 1.37, 1.90, Fig 1A). The treatment effect of sacubitril/valsartan for the primary outcome was not modified by baseline SUA (interaction p=0.11). Sacubitril/valsartan reduced SUA −0.38 mg/dL (95% CI: −0.45, −0.31) compared with valsartan (Fig 1B), with greater effect in those with baseline hyperuricemia (−0.50 mg/dL) (interaction p=0.013). Change in SUA was independently and inversely associated with change in KCCQ-OSS (p=0.019) and eGFR (p<0.001), but not NT-proBNP (p=0.52). Time-updated SUA was a stronger predictor of adverse outcomes over baseline SUA. Conclusions SUA independently predicts adverse outcomes in HFpEF. Sacubitril/valsartan significantly reduces SUA compared to valsartan, an effect that was stronger in those with higher baseline SUA, and reducing SUA was associated with improved outcomes. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: Private company. Main funding source(s): Novartis

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Abstract 14922: Prognostic Value of Baseline BNP and NT-ProBNP and its Interaction With Spironolactone in Patients With Heart Failure and Preserved Ejection Fraction in the TOPCAT Trial

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.132.suppl_3.14922 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 132 (suppl_3) ◽

Author(s):

Inder S Anand ◽

Scott D Solomon ◽

Brian Claggett ◽

Sanjiv J Shah ◽

Eileen O’Meara ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Ejection Fraction ◽

Primary Outcome ◽

Cox Regression ◽

Selection Criterion ◽

Adverse Outcomes ◽

Preserved Ejection Fraction ◽

Patient Selection Criterion ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Patients With Heart Failure

Background: Plasma natriuretic peptides (NP) are helpful in the diagnosis of heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and predict adverse outcomes. Levels of NP beyond a certain cut-off level are often used as inclusion criteria in clinical trials to ensure that the patients have HF, and to select patients at higher risk. Whether treatments have a differential effect on outcomes across the spectrum of NP levels is unclear. In the I-Preserve trial a benefit of irbesartan on all outcomes was only seen in HFpEF patients with low but not high NP levels. We hypothesized that in the Treatment of Preserved Cardiac Function Heart Failure with an Aldosterone Antagonist (TOPCAT) trial, spironolactone might have a greater benefit in patients with lower NP levels. Methods and Results: BNP (n=468) or NT-proBNP (n=400) levels were available at baseline in 868 patients with HFpEF enrolled in the natriuretic peptide stratum (BNP ≥100 pg/mL or an NT- proBNP ≥360 pg/mL) of the TOPCAT trial. In a multi-variable Cox regression model, that included age, gender, region (Americas vs. Russia/Georgia), atrial fibrillation, diabetes, eGFR, BMI and heart rate, higher BNP or NT-proBNP as a continuous, standardized log-transformed variable or grouped by terciles (see Figure for BNP & NT-proBNP tercile values) was independently associated with an increased risk of the primary endpoint of cardiovascular mortality, aborted cardiac arrest, or hospitalization for heart failure (Figure-1). There was a significant interaction between the effect of spironolactone and baseline BNP or NT-proBNP terciles for the primary outcome (P=0.02, Figure-2), with greater benefit of the drug in the lower compared to higher NP terciles. Conclusions: The benefit of spironolactone in lower risk HFpEF patients may indicate effects of the drug on early, but not late higher-risk stage of the disease. These findings question the strategy of using elevated NP as a patient selection criterion in HFpEF trials.

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Pulmonary Edema in Obstetrics: Essential Facts for Critical Care Nurses

AACN Advanced Critical Care ◽

10.4037/aacnacc2018958 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 29 (3) ◽

pp. 327-335 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Rebecca L. Cypher

Keyword(s):

Critical Care ◽

Pulmonary Edema ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Clinical Management ◽

Pulmonary Complications ◽

Pregnancy Complication ◽

Critical Care Nurses ◽

Adverse Outcomes ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Physiologic Changes Of Pregnancy

Pulmonary edema is an acute pregnancy complication that, if uncorrected, can result in increased maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Although pulmonary edema is relatively rare in the general obstetrics population, pregnant patients are at increased risk for pulmonary edema because of the physiologic changes of pregnancy. The risk may be exacerbated by certain pregnancy-related diseases, such as preeclampsia. Prompt identification and appropriate clinical management of pulmonary complications is critical to prevent adverse outcomes in pregnant patients. This article reviews the collaborative treatment of pulmonary edema in pregnant women with complex critical illnesses.

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Hypertensive Disorders during Pregnancy and Risk of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in Very Preterm Infants

American Journal of Perinatology ◽

10.1055/s-0038-1660865 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 36 (02) ◽

pp. 176-183

Author(s):

Filipa de Lima ◽

Ana Machado ◽

Hercília Guimarães ◽

Gustavo Rocha ◽

Keyword(s):

Arterial Hypertension ◽

Preterm Infants ◽

Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia ◽

Gestational Hypertension ◽

Newborn Infants ◽

Chronic Hypertension ◽

Very Preterm Infants ◽

Hypertensive Disorders ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Preterm Babies

Introduction It is not yet fully known whether hypertensive disorders (HTD) during pregnancy impose an increased risk of development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm newborn infants. Objective To test the hypothesis that preeclampsia and other HTD are associated with the development of BPD in preterm infants. Materials and Methods Data on mothers and preterm infants with gestational age 24 to 30 weeks were prospectively analyzed in 11 Portuguese level III centers. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS statistics 23. Results A total of 494 preterm infants from 410 mothers were enrolled, and 119 (28%) of the 425 babies, still alive at 36 weeks, developed BPD. The association between chronic arterial hypertension, chronic arterial hypertension with superimposed preeclampsia, and gestational hypertension in mothers and BPD in preterm infants was not significant (p = 0.115; p = 0.248; p = 0.060, respectively). The association between preeclampsia–eclampsia and BPD was significant (p = 0.007). The multivariate analysis revealed an association between preeclampsia–eclampsia and BPD (odds ratio [OR] = 4.6; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.529–13.819; p = 0.007) and a protective effect for BPD when preeclampsia occurred superimposed on chronic arterial hypertension in mothers (OR = 0.077; 95%CI 0.009–0.632; p = 0.017). Conclusion The results of this study support the association of preeclampsia in mothers with BPD in preterm babies and suggest that chronic hypertension may be protective for preterm babies.

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Abstract P369: Polypharmacy, Adverse Outcomes, and Treatment Effectiveness in Elderly Patients With Atrial Fibrillation

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.141.suppl_1.p369 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 141 (Suppl_1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Aniqa Alam ◽

Nemin Chen ◽

Pamela L Lutsey ◽

Richard MacLehose ◽

J'Neka Claxton ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Elderly Patients ◽

Rate Control ◽

Treatment Effectiveness ◽

Adverse Outcomes ◽

Pharmacy Claims ◽

Increased Risk ◽

The Impact

Background: Polypharmacy is highly prevalent in elderly individuals with chronic conditions, including atrial fibrillation (AF). The impact of polypharmacy on adverse outcomes and on treatment effectiveness in elderly AF patients remains unaddressed. Methods: We studied 338,810 AF patients ≥75 years of age with 1,761,660 active prescriptions [mean (SD), 5.1 (3.8) per patient] enrolled in the MarketScan Medicare Supplemental database in 2007-2015. Polypharmacy was defined as ≥5 active prescriptions at AF diagnosis based on outpatient pharmacy claims. AF treatments (oral anticoagulation, rhythm and rate control) and cardiovascular endpoints (ischemic stroke, bleeding, heart failure) were defined based on inpatient, outpatient and pharmacy claims. Multivariable Cox models were used to estimate associations of polypharmacy with cardiovascular endpoints and the interaction between polypharmacy and AF treatments in relation to cardiovascular endpoints. Results: Prevalence of polypharmacy was 52% (176,007 of 338,810). Patients with polypharmacy had increased risk of major bleeding [hazard ratio (HR) 1.16, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12, 1.20] and heart failure (HR 1.33, 95%CI 1.29, 1.36), but not of ischemic stroke (HR 0.96, 95%CI 0.92, 1.00), compared to those not with polypharmacy (Table). Polypharmacy status did not consistently modify the effectiveness of oral anticoagulants. However, rhythm control (vs. rate control) was more effective in preventing heart failure hospitalization in patients not with polypharmacy (HR 0.87, 95%CI 0.76, 0.99) than among those with polypharmacy (HR 0.98, 95%CI 0.91, 1.07, p for interaction = 0.02). Conclusion: Polypharmacy is frequent among elderly patients with AF, associated with adverse outcomes, and potentially affecting the effectiveness of AF treatments. Optimizing management of polypharmacy in elderly AF patients may lead to improved outcomes.

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Sex differences of resource utilisation and outcomes in patients with atrial arrhythmias and heart failure

Heart ◽

10.1136/heartjnl-2019-315566 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 106 (7) ◽

pp. 527-533 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Laura Ueberham ◽

Sebastian König ◽

Sven Hohenstein ◽

Rene Mueller-Roething ◽

Michael Wiedemann ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Sex Differences ◽

Hospital Mortality ◽

Linear Mixed Model ◽

Adverse Outcomes ◽

Resource Utilisation ◽

Hospital Outcomes ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Generalised Linear Mixed Model

ObjectiveAtrial fibrillation or atrial flutter (AF) and heart failure (HF) often go hand in hand and, in combination, lead to an increased risk of death compared with patients with just one of both entities. Sex-specific differences in patients with AF and HF are under-reported. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate sex-specific catheter ablation (CA) use and acute in-hospital outcomes in patients with AF and concomitant HF in a retrospective cohort study.MethodsUsing International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems and Operations and Procedures codes, administrative data of 75 hospitals from 2010 to 2018 were analysed to identify cases with AF and HF. Sex differences were compared for baseline characteristics, right and left atrial CA use, procedure-related adverse outcomes and in-hospital mortality.ResultsOf 54 645 analysed cases with AF and HF, 46.2% were women. Women were significantly older (75.4±9.5 vs 68.7±11.1 years, p<0.001), had different comorbidities (more frequently: cerebrovascular disease (2.4% vs 1.8%, p<0.001), dementia (5.3% vs 2.2%, p<0.001), rheumatic disease (2.1% vs 0.8%, p<0.001), diabetes with chronic complications (9.7% vs 9.1%, p=0.033), hemiplegia or paraplegia (1.7% vs 1.2%, p<0.001) and chronic kidney disease (43.7% vs 33.5%, p<0.001); less frequently: myocardial infarction (5.4% vs 10.5%, p<0.001), peripheral vascular disease (6.9% vs 11.3%, p<0.001), mild liver disease (2.0% vs 2.3%, p=0.003) or any malignancy (1.0% vs 1.3%, p<0.001), underwent less often CA (12.0% vs 20.7%, p<0.001), had longer hospitalisations (6.6±5.8 vs 5.2±5.2 days, p<0.001) and higher in-hospital mortality (1.6% vs 0.9%, p<0.001). However, in the multivariable generalised linear mixed model for in-hospital mortality, sex did not remain an independent predictor (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.12, p=0.579) when adjusted for age and comorbidities. Vascular access complications requiring interventions (4.8% vs 4.2%, p=0.001) and cardiac tamponade (0.3% vs 0.1%, p<0.001) occurred more frequently in women, whereas stroke (0.6% vs 0.5%, p=0.179) and death (0.3% vs 0.1%, p=0.101) showed no sex difference in patients undergoing CA.ConclusionsThere are sex differences in patients with AF and HF with respect to demographics, resource utilisation and in-hospital outcomes. This needs to be considered when treating women with AF and HF, especially for a sufficient patient informed decision making in clinical practice.

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Cerebral Perfusion and the Occurrence of Nonfocal Transient Neurological Attacks

Cerebrovascular Diseases ◽

10.1159/000502334 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 47 (5-6) ◽

pp. 303-308

Author(s):

Eline A. Oudeman ◽

Esther E. Bron ◽

Renske M. Van den Berg-Vos ◽

Jacoba P. Greving ◽

Geert Jan Biessels ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Magnetic Resonance ◽

Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽

Brain Perfusion ◽

Cerebral Hypoperfusion ◽

Cardiac Events ◽

Adjusted Risk ◽

Total Brain ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Patients With Heart Failure

Introduction: Nonfocal transient neurological attacks (TNAs) are associated with an increased risk of cardiac events, stroke and dementia. Their etiology is still unknown. Global cerebral hypoperfusion has been suggested to play a role in their etiology, but this has not been investigated. We assessed whether lower total brain perfusion is associated with a higher occurrence of TNAs. Methods: Between 2015 and 2018, patients with heart failure were included in the Heart Brain Connection study. Patients underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging, including quantitative magnetic resonance angiography (QMRA) to measure cerebral blood flow (CBF). We calculated total brain perfusion of each participant by dividing total CBF by brain volume. Patients were interviewed with a standardized questionnaire on the occurrence of TNAs by physicians who were blinded to QMRA flow status. We assessed the relation between total brain perfusion and the occurrence of TNAs with Poisson regression analysis. Results: Of 136 patients (mean age 70 years, 68% men), 29 (21%) experienced ≥1 TNAs. Nonrotatory dizziness was the most common subtype of TNA. Patients with TNAs were more often female and more often had angina pectoris than patients without TNAs, but total CBF and total brain perfusion were not different between both groups. Total brain perfusion was not associated with the occurrence of TNAs (adjusted risk ratio 1.12, 95% CI 0.88–1.42). Conclusion: We found no association between total brain perfusion and the occurrence of TNAs in patients with heart failure.

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Adult cardiovascular surgery and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic: the Italian experience

Interactive CardioVascular and Thoracic Surgery ◽

10.1093/icvts/ivaa186 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 31 (6) ◽

pp. 755-762

Author(s):

Francesco Donatelli ◽

Antonio Miceli ◽

Mattia Glauber ◽

Silvia Cirri ◽

Ciro Maiello ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Health Care ◽

Health Care Professionals ◽

Cardiovascular Surgery ◽

Adverse Outcomes ◽

Local Health ◽

Heart Team ◽

Italian Experience ◽

Refractory Heart Failure ◽

Increased Risk

Abstract The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has profoundly affected all health care professionals. The outbreak required a thorough reorganization of the Italian regional local health care system to preserve resources such as ventilators, beds in intensive care units and surgical and anaesthesiological staff. Levels of priority were created, together with a rigorous triage procedure for patients with COVID-19, which led to postponement of all elective procedures. Urgent cases were discussed with the local heart team and percutaneous approaches were selected as the first treatment option to reduce hospital stay. COVID-19 and COVID-19-free pathways were created, including adequate preparation of the operating room, management of anaesthesiological procedures, transportation of patients and disinfection. It was determined that patients with chronic diseases were at increased risk of adverse outcomes. Systemic inflammation, cytokine storm and hypercoagulability associated with COVID-19 increased the risk of heart failure and cardiac death. In this regard, the early use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation could be life-saving in patients with severe forms of acute respiratory distress syndrome or refractory heart failure. The goal of this paper was to report the Italian experience during the COVID-19 pandemic in the setting of cardiovascular surgery.

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