Cardiologists are concerned because they see that heart patients often stay out of the hospital because of the coronavirus, reports the NRC Monday evening. According to the cardiologists, this is very dangerous.
In the cardiology department at the Haga Hospital in The Hague, there were seventy percent fewer patients who reported a heart attack or threatened heart attack last week than in the same week a year ago. According to cardiologist Wilco Tanis from the Haga Hospital, fear of the COVID-19 virus plays a major role in this.
According to the cardiologists, patients have a fear of contracting the coronavirus. In addition, patients do not want to bother doctors in this busy time, writes the NRC.
There is also a sudden drop in the number of patients with acute heart problems in other European countries. The European Society of Cardiology ESC warned last week that there have been 75 percent fewer heart patients since the corona crisis.
Possible “wave of death”
This leads to many concerns among doctors. “We cardiologists are very afraid that people will have an infarct at home, because they dare not warn a doctor or come to the emergency room. But people with heart problems should not stay at home,” Tanis told the newspaper. According to the cardiologist, after the coronavirus, another “wave of deaths” can develop if heart patients stay away.
The Dutch Association of Cardiology (NVVC) also calls on cardiovascular patients to report to acute complaints. At the moment, it is being mapped exactly how much the cardiological care has decreased, writes the NRC. The outcome of this study is expected next week.
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The coronavirus in short
- The coronavirus mainly spreads from person to person via sneezing and cough drops. The chance of becoming infected through surfaces such as door handles is small. This chance decreases if you wash your hands often.
- You can considerably reduce the chance of spreading by keeping at least 1.5 meters away from others.
- An infected person infects two to three others on average. Precautions are necessary to contain this.
- The vast majority of patients have mild (flu-like) complaints.
- Almost all deaths involve the elderly or other vulnerable persons, such as heart, lung or diabetes patients. If everyone complies with the measures, this reduces their risks.
- Read here what precautions you should take.
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