(beraking latest news Salute) – “Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of death in the Italian population. Before the pandemic broke out these diseases represented more than 50% of the total deaths in our country. With Covid, especially in the first phase there was a difficulty in accessing our patients with cardiovascular diseases to hospitals. This unfortunately has led to an increase in mortality. “This was stated to beraking latest news Salute by Furio Colivicchi, president designate of the National Association of Hospital Cardiologists (Anmco), one of the medical societies scientists affiliated with the IMF received this morning at Palazzo Giustiniani by the President of the Senate Elisabetta Alberti Casellati to discuss the situation of Italian female doctors and their difficulties exacerbated by the pandemic emergency.
“The so-called excess mortality recorded in the period of the pandemic – explains Colivicchi of the Uoc Clinical and Rehabilitative Cardiology of the San Filippo Neri hospital in Rome – is partly attributable to the infection with SarS-CoV-2 but a significant part is attributable, instead, to cardiovascular diseases. In particular, acute myocardial infarction, heart failure and stroke, stroke. It is an extremely serious problem that we will carry around for a long time because the patients who survived have a residual disability “.
Remote management of cardiovascular diseases, a big killer not only in our country, was not easy but telemedicine “represented – admits Colivicchi – in this phase of the pandemic an extraordinary resource for all the structures that deal with the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. In particular, for patients with implanted devices (pacemakers, defibrillators) but also more generally for the management of some types of therapies, first of all oral anticoagulant therapy “.
“Telemedicine is an important resource – he adds – which has been intelligently managed in almost the whole country. Clearly we have had difficulties, especially with elderly patients who have problems using technological tools. In some cases, even just the telephone has represented a very effective solution to manage the problems related to chronicity that many cardiovascular diseases have ”.
But if at first, as soon as the SarS-CoV-2 emergency broke out, “some patients – admits Colivicchi – died at home for fear of infection in the hospital”, fortunately many things have changed since then. “Very strong awareness campaigns were conducted – recalls the cardiologist – wanted by health authorities and medical scientific societies such as Anmco, initiatives that have promoted safe access to hospital facilities. Not surprisingly, we are witnessing an increase in attendance both in the emergency room and in hospital wards. We are convinced that we can make up for lost time ”.
And regarding vaccination for vulnerable categories, Colivicchi has no doubts: “We know that in some regions there are difficulties – he concludes – but others have managed to increase programs for so-called vulnerable patients, including people with heart failure. For them, the path to vaccination has been accelerated. However, it is also very important to inform patients about the need to get vaccinated. The message must be clear: the choice of the product is not important it is important that you undergo immunization ”.