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  • Community and healthcare system-related factors feeding the phenomenon of evading medical attention for time-dependent emergencies during COVID-19 crisis

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Global health
Case report
Community and healthcare system-related factors feeding the phenomenon of evading medical attention for time-dependent emergencies during COVID-19 crisis
  1. Taha Ahmed1,
  2. Samra Haroon Lodhi2,
  3. Samir Kapadia3 and
  4. Gautam V Shah3
  1. 1Department of Internal Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
  2. 2Department of Internal Medicine, King Edward Medical University, Lahore, Pakistan
  3. 3Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Heart and Vascular Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
  1. Correspondence to Dr Taha Ahmed; tahaahmedfairview{at}gmail.com

Abstract

The current COVID-19 crisis has significantly impacted healthcare systems worldwide. There has been a palpable increase in public avoidance of hospitals, which has interfered in timely care of critical cardiovascular conditions. Complications from late presentation of myocardial infarction, which had become a rarity, resurfaced during the pandemic. We present two such encounters that occurred due to delay in seeking medical care following myocardial infarction due to the fear of contracting COVID-19 in the hospital. Moreover, a comprehensive review of literature is performed to illustrate the potential factors delaying and decreasing timely presentations and interventions for time-dependent medical emergencies like ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We emphasise that clinicians should remain vigilant of encountering rare and catastrophic complications of STEMI during this current era of COVID-19 pandemic.

  • cardiovascular medicine
  • interventional cardiology
  • global health
  • healthcare improvement and patient safety

This article is made freely available for use in accordance with BMJ’s website terms and conditions for the duration of the covid-19 pandemic or until otherwise determined by BMJ. You may use, download and print the article for any lawful, non-commercial purpose (including text and data mining) provided that all copyright notices and trade marks are retained.

https://bmj.com/coronavirus/usage

https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2020-237817

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    Footnotes

    • Twitter @TahaAhmedMDCcf

    • Contributors TA: designed the study, performed the literature review, drafted the manuscript, formulated the tables and reviewed the manuscript. SHL: performed the literature review, contributed to the discussion and suggested pertinent modifications. SK: contributed to the case presentation and discussion, revised the manuscript critically for important intellectual content and gave final approval for the version published. GVS: managed the cases, contributed to the case presentation and did a critical review and supervision.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Patient consent for publication Obtained.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.