Hundreds of heart attacks may have gone untreated over the last month as the public heeded calls to stay away from emergency departments, according to new data.
One study showed a 38% drop in the number of percutaneous coronary interventions in six heart centres in London during the last fortnight in March.
National data, for England, released yesterday showed the number of patients attending emergency departments with symptoms of heart attack halved during the course of March – falling to 150 a day.
Overall emergency department attendances fell by 20% during the month – compared with February.
The data followed a series of calls, led by the Academy of the Medical Royal Colleges, for the public to ensure that they sought help for major illnesses – and not to be deterred by the virus crisis.
The British Heart Foundation reported concerns among cardiologists that patients are "afraid" to visit hospital for fear of infection. A survey of 167 cardiologists found that 84% reported reductions in patients needing emergency PCI.
Associate medical director Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan said: “The coronavirus pandemic is extremely serious, but it’s concerning if it also means people’s fears about the virus are putting them off calling 999 when they suffer heart attack symptoms.
“These are uncertain times, and it’s understandable that people might feel apprehensive about having to go to hospital or putting unnecessary strain on the NHS. But heart attacks don’t stop for a global pandemic.
“Don’t delay because you think hospitals are too busy – the NHS still has systems in place to treat people for heart attacks and they are still a top priority."
Fellow cardiologist Dr Ramzi Khamis, from Hammersmith Hospital, London, said: “We have seen about half as many patients as we usually do coming into our heart attack centre at Imperial, some with significant delays. We are now becoming quite anxious about the ones we are not seeing as well as the delays.
“We want to stress that we have the staff, equipment and resources to treat heart attacks. With swift diagnosis and treatment, most people with heart attacks will recover and go on to live a healthy life. However, delays in treatment puts lives at risk, and will result in more pressure on the NHS, not less.”
NHS England national clinical director for heart disease, Dr Nick Linker, added: “Treating heart attacks promptly and effectively saves lives and the services to treat them are still in place for those who need them.”
Dr Layla McCay, from the NHS Confederation, said: “These figures suggest more people are adhering to the stay-at-home guidance, and only attending A&E if they have no other option. This is positive, and should help to ease at least some of the unprecedented pressure the service is currently under.
“However, we would stress that the NHS has not closed its doors to non-Covid-19 patients, and if people need urgent care, they should not feel they cannot attend hospital. At its core, the service hasn’t changed: it’s there to help those in need."
Professor Jackie Taylor, president of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, added: “It’s right that the COVID-19 pandemic is at the forefront of all of our thoughts right now. At the same time, the public must understand that many of us will continue to need medical assistance for a range of other conditions that have nothing to do with this virus.
“My personal message for the public is that if you need medical attention, it’s really important that you get the support you require."
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