NEWS
Heart attack sufferers miss out on hospital treatment due to COVID-19
Researchers at the University of Oxford, working with NHS Digital, in collaboration with experts from the University of Keele, the University of Leeds, Imperial College London, University College London, Barts Health NHS Trust and the Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust, have published new research that shows that only two thirds of the expected admissions with heart attacks took place at the end of March 2020.
By the end of May, admission rates had
partially recovered, but remained below expected levels. In total, by the end of May there had been about 5000 fewer admissions with heart attack in 2020 than would be expected, suggesting that many patients have missed out on lifesaving treatment. The study, published in The Lancet, used data regularly collected by NHS Digital from NHS Hospital Trusts in England to get up-to-date information about admissions to hospital. Researchers documented a reduction in admissions with heart attack in England at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic by comparing weekly rates in 2020 with those observed in 2019. They are continuing to monitor these trends and will post updated results every month at https://www.ctsu.
ox.ac.uk/research/covid-19-acute-coronary- syndromes.
Admissions with heart attacks caused by a complete blockage of an artery to part of
the heart – called ‘ST-elevation’ heart attacks because of the typical changes seen on the electrocardiogram (ECG) – fell by nearly a quarter (23%). People with this sort of heart attack are at the highest risk of suffering a cardiac arrest and usually need an urgent procedure (a percutaneous coronary intervention, or PCI) to open the blocked artery to the heart, along with medications. Rates of admission for heart attacks caused by a partial blockage of blood supply to the heart (‘non-ST elevation’ heart attacks) fell by 42%. Patients with this type
NOW IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH
APPRENTICESHIPS Bio-Medical
WE ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH DUDLEY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY IN THE DELIVERY OF APPRENTICESHIPS
Level 2 Healthcare Science Apprenticeship Level 3 Medical Engineering Apprenticeship Level 4 Healthcare Science Apprenticeship • • Develop the knowledge and skills of your existing EBME staff members For an info-pack or to discuss how we can help develop your department : 01562 745 858
training@avensysmedical.co.uk AUGUST 2020
WWW.CLINICALSERVICESJOURNAL.COM l 9 •
• World class tuition on medical devices from Avensys (Selected trainers at NHS Nightingale Hospitals) • Academic modules taught by Dudley College of Technology (Rated Ofsted Outstanding) • Fees drawn from the Apprenticeship Levy
of heart attack need urgent assessment and treatment with medications, while many also benefit from an urgent procedure to open a narrowed artery to the heart. Dr. Marion Mafham, clinical research fellow at the Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, and lead author of the study said: “Our study shows that far fewer people with heart attacks have attended hospital during this pandemic. It is important that anyone with chest pain calls an ambulance immediately, because every minute of delay increases the risk of dying or experiencing serious complications from a heart attack.” There was a similar pattern of reduced admissions in different demographic groups. The study found that there was an increase in the proportion of patients receiving procedures to open blocked arteries on the day of admission, and a reduction in the length of stay.
Senior author Professor Colin Baigent, director of the Medical Research Council Population Health Research Unit at the University of Oxford, said: “Some people may still be worried about going to hospital because they fear encountering the coronavirus. But the truth is that, by delaying or not going to hospital, people with heart attacks are at much greater risk of dying from their heart attack than catching the virus, and the NHS is ready and able to provide excellent cardiological care.”
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83
