Volume 50, Issue 8 pp. 1000-1003
Brief Communication

Decreases in cardiac catheter laboratory workload during the COVID-19 level 4 lockdown in New Zealand

John M. Elliott

Corresponding Author

John M. Elliott

Department of Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, Christchurch, New Zealand

Department of Cardiology, Christchurch Public Hospital, Christchurch, New Zealand

Correspondence

John M. Elliott, Department of Medicine, University of Otago Christchurch, PO Box 4345, Christchurch, New Zealand.

Email: [email protected]

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Ian G. Crozier

Ian G. Crozier

Department of Cardiology, Christchurch Public Hospital, Christchurch, New Zealand

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First published: 06 August 2020
Citations: 12

Funding: None.

Conflict of interest: None.

Abstract

An increase in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections prompted Level 4 lockdown throughout New Zealand from 25 March 2020. We have investigated trends in coronary and electrophysiology (EP) procedures before and during this lockdown. The number of acute procedures for ST elevation myocardial infarction remained stable. In contrast, the number of in-patient angiograms and percutaneous intervention procedures fell by 53% compared with the previous 4 weeks in 2020 and by 56% compared with the corresponding period in 2019. Further study is required to determine the reasons for these trends.

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