KOCHI: Four weeks into the
nationwide coronavirus lockdown
,
hospitals
in the state have seen a 30-50% drop in
patients with heart attacks
.
Cardiologists
, surprised by the trend, believe that this could probably be because two main
triggers of heart attack
–
stress
and
pollution – have reduced since the lockdown.
Prior to March 25, each hospital with advanced cardiology units in the state used to get around 10 to 15 heart attack cases every day. Following the
lockdown
, there has been a reduction in the reporting of more common yet serious heart attack, STEMI, the less damaging NSTEMI, and even left ventricular failure cases.
“We are surprised by the reduction in numbers. Majority of our patients suffered a heart attack while doing intense physical activity or while driving a car. Now with physical activity reduced, heart attacks are also probably down. But no one knows the reason for sure,” said Dr Rony Mathew Kadavil, cardiologist, Lisie Hospital.
This trend is not unique to Kerala. Cardiologists across the country are puzzled, with some well-known experts holding a webinar discussion on the issue last week. Besides reduced stress and pollution, they highlighted the fact that people have improved their diets as junk food consumption dropped; also they are eating and sleeping on time. People are also taking their medicines regularly now.
“Heart attacks are also triggered by infection, but now overall infections have come down and as a result people are taking lower amounts of antibiotics,” said Dr A George Koshy, cardiologist with Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital, who was also part of the discussion.
But there are concerns that people may be avoiding going to hospitals, because of the coronavirus outbreak or lack of transport (heart attack patients in the state rely on private vehicles or taxis rather than ambulances to travel to hospitals). Doctors point to the case of an elderly Kochi man who delayed his hospital visit by two days despite intense chest pain. When it became unbearable, he reached the hospital and on being asked why he waited, said, “I was afraid that I may get coronavirus at the hospital.”
Following divergent views, the Cardiological Society of India is now planning a countrywide study by comparing data during the lockdown period with that for the same period last year. A similar study from cardiac catheterization labs in US found a 38% drop in patients being treated for STEMI.
Cardiologists, however, are concerned about a spike in the number of cases once the lockdown is over. “It could either be because of people, who are now ignoring symptoms, would later come to hospitals with total heart failure or it could be due to stress that will slowly build up in people in the post-lockdown period as financial woes increase,” said Dr Harikrishnan S, cardiologist with Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology.
Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, Location Guesser and Mini Crossword.