Reduced Rate of Hospital Presentations for Heart Failure During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Toronto, Canada
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has resulted in public health measures and health care reconfigurations likely to have impact on chronic disease care. We aimed to assess the volume and characteristics of patients presenting to hospitals with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic compared with a time-matched 2019 cohort. Patients presenting to hospitals with ADHF from March 1, to April 19, 2020 and 2019 in an urban hospital were examined. Multivariable logistic-regression models were used to evaluate the difference in probability of ADHF-related hospitalization between the 2 years.The Next Wave of Health Care Strain Related to COVID-19: Heart Failure Patients Coming Back in Force—We Must Not Fail Them
In preparation for the expected wave of critically ill patients, the initial COVID-19 response focused on minimizing in-person healthcare encounters and reallocating resources to patients with COVID-19. Strict physical distancing to flatten the curve, coupled with dramatic downscaling of services, have thus far been successful in avoiding a calamitous surge of COVID-19 in most Canadian jurisdictions. As we recalibrate our approach to healthcare delivery, recognizing that COVID-19 will have a drawn out and sustained impact on healthcare, attention is turning towards addressing the backlog of procedures and surgeries.
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