Contemporary Issues in Cardiology Practice Cardiovascular Care Delivery During the Second Wave of COVID-19 in Canada

Hospitals and ambulatory facilities significantly reduced cardiac care delivery in response to the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The deferral of elective cardiovascular procedures led to a marked reduc-tion in health care delivery with a significant impact on optimal car-diovascular care. International and Canadian data have reported dramatically increased wait times for diagnostic tests and cardiovas-cular procedures, as well as associated increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In the wake of the demonstrated ability to rapidly create critical care and hospital ward capacity, we advocate a different approach during the second and possible subsequent COVID19 pandemic waves. We suggest an approach, informed by local data and experience, that balances the need for an expected rise in demand for health care resources to ensure appropriate COVID-19 surge capacity with continued delivery of essential cardiovascular care. Incorporating cardiovascular care leaders into pandemic planning and operations will help health care systems minimise cardiac care delivery disruptions while maintaining critical care and hospital ward surge capacity and continuing measures to reduce transmission risk in health care settings. Specific recommendations targeting the main pillars of cardiovascular care are presented: ambulatory, inpatient, procedural, diagnostic, surgical, and rehabilitation.

Automated summary

Hospitals and ambulatory facilities reduced cardiac care delivery during the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to delays in essential cardiovascular procedures and an impact on patient care. As the pandemic continues, there is a need to balance the surge capacity for COVID-19 patients with the ongoing delivery of critical cardiovascular care to minimize disruptions and maintain patient outcomes. Incorporating cardiovascular care leaders into pandemic planning and operations is crucial for navigating through future waves of the pandemic.