Thousands of heart procedures delayed by pandemic

Around half of people with heart and circulatory diseases have found it harder to get medical treatment since the coronavirus pandemic began.

A new survey from the British Heart Foundation has found that the postponement of tens of thousands of hospital procedures is putting the lives of people with long-term heart conditions at risk, especially considering that those with heart disease are at increased risk of serious illness with coronavirus.

As well as difficulties getting medical treatment, almost a third have found it harder to get the medicines they need. Combined, the difficulties could also lead to a tidal wave of increased NHS pressure as a result of heart and circulatory patients becoming sicker while awaiting hospital investigations and treatment.

Of the people who found it more difficult to access medical treatment from a healthcare professional during the coronavirus crisis: 41 per cent said they’d had a planned test, surgery or procedure postponed or cancelled; and 48 per cent said a lack of available face-to-face appointments was a reason for this.

On top of this, anxieties remain about whether patients should seek medical help.  42 per cent said they didn’t want to put extra pressure on the health service, while 27 per cent said they were concerned about the risk of developing the virus in a healthcare setting.  

The British Heart Foundation is calling on the government and the NHS to urgently address the immediate needs of heart and circulatory patients who have had care postponed during the coronavirus pandemic, claiming that this can be done by increasing the number of heart procedures, surgeries and tests that are carried out, such as procedures for pacemakers and stents, as well as heart imaging tests. In addition, NHS support systems should be restored for people with conditions, such as heart failure, which can help keep people out of hospital.

Sonya Babu-Narayan, BHF Associate Medical Director, said: “People with heart and circulatory diseases are already at increased risk of dying from Covid-19, and their lives should not be put at even greater risk by missing out on treatment for their condition. While doing all we can to fight the virus, we must continue to provide care for people with heart and circulatory conditions in a safe way.  
 
“At the very least, around 28,000 planned inpatient heart procedures have been deferred in response to the Covid-19 outbreak in England alone. This backlog will only get larger and the patients in need of treatment could get sicker as their care is delayed further. If hospital investigations and procedures are delayed too long, it can result in preventable permanent long-term complications, such as heart failure. In addition, non-hospital-based health services must not be forgotten, as these enable people with heart and circulatory diseases to stay well and out of hospital.”