What drove the reduction in myocardial infarction admissions during COVID-19? Reasons and implications

Author(s):  
Ruff Joseph Cajanding

COVID-19 represents a major public health threat. With the emphasis on self-isolation and the implementation of social restrictions such as lockdowns to reduce disease transmission, significant changes in health practices have occurred worldwide. This includes a substantial reduction in the number of patients being admitted for acute coronary syndrome and acute myocardial infarction, particularly among patients with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction. A combination of patient- and system-related factors have contributed to this decline, including human behaviour, the delivery of healthcare services and changes in the prevalence of risk factors and environmental conditions. This article reviews current knowledge regarding admission rates for acute coronary syndrome and acute myocardial infarction during the COVID-19 pandemic and explores the reasons for this decline, as well as the potential impact on patients and implications for nursing and healthcare practice.

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
R King ◽  
D Giedrimiene

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background The management of patients with multiple comorbidities represents a significant burden on healthcare each year. Despite requiring regular medical care to treat chronic conditions, a large number of these patients may not receive proper care. Significant disparities have been identified in patients with multiple comorbidities and those who experience acute coronary syndrome or acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Only limited data exists to identify the impact of comorbidities and utilization of primary care physician (PCP) services on the development of adverse outcomes, such as AMI. Purpose The primary objective was to analyze how PCP services utilization can be associated with comorbidities in patients who experienced an AMI. Methods This study was based on retrospective data analysis which included 250 patients admitted to the Hartford Hospital Emergency Department (ED) for an AMI. Out of these, 27 patients were excluded due to missing documentation. Collected data included age, gender, medications and recorded comorbidities, such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus (DM), chronic kidney disease (CKD) and previous arrhythmia. Each patient was assessed regarding utilization of PCP services. Statistical analysis was performed in order to identify differences between patients with documented PCP services and those without by using the Chi-square test. Results The records allowed for identification of documented PCP services for 172 out of 223 (77.1%) patients. The most common comorbidities were hypertension and hyperlipidemia: in 165 (74.0%) and 157 (70.4%) cases respectively. The most frequent comorbidity was hypertension: 137 out of 172 (79.7%) in pts with PCP vs 28 out of 51 (54.9%) without PCP, and significantly more often in patients with PCP, p< 0.001. Hyperlipidemia was the second most frequent comorbidity: in 130 out of 172 (75.6%) vs 27 out of 51 (52.9%) accordingly, and also significantly more often (p< 0.002) in patients with PCP services. The number of comorbidities ranged from 0-5, including 32 (14.3%) patients without comorbidities: 16 (9.3%) with a PCP and 16 (31.4%) without PCP services. The majority of patients - 108 (48.5% of 223), had 2-3 documented comorbidities: 89 (51.8%) had two and 19 (34.6%) had three. The remaining 40 (17.9%) patients had 4-5 comorbidities: 37 (21.5%) of them with a PCP and 3 (10.3%) without, with a significant difference (p < 0.001) found for patients with a higher number of comorbidities who utilized PCP services. Conclusions Our study shows that the majority of patients who presented with an AMI had one or more comorbidities. Furthermore, patients who did not utilize PCP services had fewer identified comorbidities. This suggests that there may be a significant number of patients who experienced AMI with undiagnosed comorbidities due to not having access to PCP services.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 444
Author(s):  
Juan Sanchis ◽  
Clara Bonanad ◽  
Sergio García-Blas ◽  
Vicent Ruiz ◽  
Agustín Fernández-Cisnal ◽  
...  

Frailty is a marker of poor prognosis in older adults after acute coronary syndrome. We investigated whether cognitive impairment provides additional prognostic information. The study population consisted of a prospective cohort of 342 older (>65 years) adult survivors after acute coronary syndrome. Frailty (Fried score) and cognitive function (Pfeiffer’s Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire—SPMSQ) were assessed at discharge. The endpoints were mortality or acute myocardial infarction at 8.7-year median follow-up. Patient distribution according to SPMSQ results was: no cognitive impairment (SPMSQ = 0 errors; n = 248, 73%), mild impairment (SPMSQ = 1–2 errors; n = 52, 15%), and moderate to severe impairment (SPMSQ ≥3 errors; n = 42, 12%). A total of 245 (72%) patients died or had an acute myocardial infarction, and 216 (63%) patients died. After adjustment for clinical data, comorbidities, and Fried score, the SPMSQ added prognostic value for death or myocardial infarction (per number of errors; HR = 1.11, 95%, CI 1.04–1.19, p = 0.002) and death (HR = 1.11, 95% 1.03–1.20, p = 0.007). An SPMSQ with ≥3 errors identified the highest risk subgroup. Geriatric conditions (SPSMQ and Fried score) explained 19% and 43% of the overall chi-square of the models for predicting death or myocardial infarction and death, respectively. Geriatric assessment after acute coronary syndrome should include both frailty and cognitive function. This is particularly important given that cognitive impairment without dementia can be subclinical and thus remain undetected.


2017 ◽  
Vol 81 (3) ◽  
pp. 361-367 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroshi Nakashima ◽  
Yuka Mashimo ◽  
Masaya Kurobe ◽  
Shigenori Muto ◽  
Shinnosuke Furudono ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayman Battisha ◽  
Khalid Sawalha ◽  
Bader Madoukh ◽  
Omar Sheikh ◽  
Karim Doughem ◽  
...  

: Systemic Mastocytosis (SM) is a disorder of excessive mast cell infiltration in multiple organ tissues. Atherosclerosis is a major risk factor for developing acute coronary syndrome [1]. In addition to lipid accumulation in the arterial wall, inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of plaque rupture and activating the thrombosis cascade [2]. The Mast cells contribution to plaque destabilization has been well established in multiple animal and human studies [3]. In a recent study, SM has been proven to be associated with a higher incidence of acute coronary syndrome even with lower plasma lipids level [4]. The study showed that 20% of patients with SM had cardiovascular events compared to only 6% in the control group with adjustment to all cardiac risk factors. Here, we present a case of acute myocardial infarction in a patient with SM with limited risk factors other than age.


2021 ◽  
Vol 76 (5S) ◽  
pp. 533-538
Author(s):  
Natalia V. Orlova ◽  
Valerij V. Lomajchikov ◽  
Tatyana I. Bonkalo ◽  
Grigorij A. Chuvarayan ◽  
Yana G. Spiryakina ◽  
...  

Background. COVID-19 increases the risk of developing thromboembolic complications, including acute myocardial infarction, in the acute period of the disease. The long-term consequences of COVID-19 are poorly understood. At the same time, the available data on an increased risk of acute coronary syndrome after infectious diseases allow us to make an assumption about a similar risk in COVID-19. The aim of the study was to study the anamnestic and laboratory diagnostic data in patients with acute coronary syndrome after COVID-19. Methods. The study included 185 patients with acute coronary syndrome who were admitted to the State Clinical Hospital No. 13 in Moscow in the period from May to December 2020. 2 groups were identified: group 1 109 patients with ACS who had previously suffered COVID-19, group 2 76 patients with ACS without COVID-19 in the past. The patients were collected anamnesis, including: the fact of smoking and alcohol consumption, heredity, previous diseases, including diabetes mellitus, acute myocardial infarction, previously performed PCI. Information about the COVID-19 infection has been collected (the duration of the disease, the course of the disease). A clinical and laboratory examination was conducted, including the determination of body mass index (BMI), examination for antibodies to COVID-19, determination of the lipid profile level (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides), blood glucose level, C-RB. The analysis was performed on automatic biochemical analyzers Hitachi-902, 912 (Roche Diagnostics, Japan). All patients underwent coronary angiography. Results. In patients with ACS with previously transferred COVID-19, the development of the disease occurred at a younger age compared to patients without transferred COVID-19. Among the patients with COVID-19, body weight was significantly lower, there were fewer smokers, concomitant type 2 diabetes mellitus and transferred ONMC were less common. In laboratory parameters, lower triglyceride levels were observed in patients with ACS with COVID-19 compared with those of patients without COVID-19. In the laboratory parameters of blood clotting in patients with ACS with COVID-19, higher APTT, thrombin time, fibrinogen level, D-dimer were noted. The indicated laboratory parameters in the groups had statistically significant differences. In ACS patients with a previous COVID-19, compared with patients without COVID-19, the lesion of 2 or more coronary vessels was more common in the anamnesis. Conclusion. According to the results of our study, it was revealed that multivessel coronary artery damage in patients after COVID-19 in comparison with patients without COVID-19 develops significantly more often, while these patients are significantly less likely to have DM and previously suffered ONMC, the level of TG is significantly lower.


Author(s):  
Paul Simpson ◽  
Rosy Tirimacco ◽  
Penelope Cowley ◽  
May Siew ◽  
Narelle Berry ◽  
...  

Background The management of patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome is a significant challenge for clinicians. Guidelines for the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction require a rise and/or fall of cardiac troponin, along with other criteria. Knowing what constitutes a significant delta change from baseline is still unclear and the literature is varied. Methods We compared three methods for determining cardiac troponin delta changes (relative, absolute and z-scores) for detecting acute myocardial infarction in 806 patients presenting to an emergency department with symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome. Blood specimens were collected at admission and 2, 3, 4 and 6 h postadmission and tested on the Roche Elecsys high-sensitivity troponin T assay. Results A positive diagnosis for acute myocardial infarction was found in 39 (4.8%) patients. ROC AUC showed better performance for the absolute and z-score delta change (0.959–0.988 and 0.956–0.988, respectively) compared with relative delta change (0.921–0.960) at all time points in the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction. Optimal timing for the second sample was at 4–6 h postadmission. Conclusions Although not statistically significant, the results show a trend of absolute and z-score delta change performing better than relative delta change for the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction. The z-score approach allows for a single cut-off value across multiple high-sensitivity assays which could be useful in the clinical setting. Our study also highlighted the importance of interpreting cardiac troponin changes in the clinical context with a combination of the patient’s clinical history and electrocardiogram.


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