Coronavirus Disease 2019 Catheterization Laboratory Survey

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Public Health
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted global healthcare operations and professional practices.
• Interventional cardiology faced unprecedented challenges affecting daily work and patient care.
• Understanding these impacts is crucial for managing current and future pandemic responses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the operational and lifestyle effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on interventional cardiologists worldwide.
• To identify challenges and adaptations within interventional cardiology practices during the pandemic.

Main Methods:

• A survey was distributed electronically to interventional cardiologists across 18 countries.
• Data collection occurred between April 6-11, 2020, gathering 509 responses.
• The survey addressed procedure volumes, personal protective equipment, patient testing, and professional concerns.

Main Results:

• A significant decrease in coronary, structural heart, and endovascular procedure volumes was reported.
• While 95% had personal protective equipment, only 70% had FIT-tested N95 masks, and 74% lacked COVID-19 pretesting.
• 83% expressed concern performing procedures on COVID-19 patients due to transmission fears (88%).

Conclusions:

• The pandemic led to reduced invasive procedure volumes and heightened concerns about viral transmission among interventional cardiologists.
• Near-universal use of personal protective equipment was noted, but COVID-19 pretesting and access to adequate masks remain suboptimal.
• Despite financial worries, telemedicine and online education adoption increased significantly.