Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 29, 2025
Setup of Consumer Wearable Devices for Exposure and Health Monitoring in Population Studies
Published on: February 3, 2023
Hospital admissions during Covid-19 lock-down in Germany: Differences in discretionary and unavoidable cardiovascular
Elisabeth Stöhr1, Adem Aksoy1, Meghan Campbell1,2
1Department of Cardiology, Heart Center, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
Insights
During Covid-19 lockdowns, emergency cardiovascular admissions in western Germany decreased by 20%. This decline primarily affected non-urgent cases like heart failure and dizziness, while critical events such as STEMI and stroke remained stable.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Reports indicated a decline in cardiovascular events and catheter laboratory activations in the US and Italy during early COVID-19.
- This study focuses on emergency cardiovascular event services in a specific region of western Germany during a government-imposed lockdown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on emergency cardiovascular event admissions in western Germany.
- To compare admission rates during the lockdown period with the same timeframe in the previous year.
Main Methods:
- Examined 5799 consecutive patients treated for cardiovascular events between January 1 and April 30, 2020.
- Compared data with the corresponding period in 2019, utilizing emergency physician records from nine locations.
- Calculated the overall decline in cardiovascular admissions.
Main Results:
- A 20% overall decline in cardiovascular admissions was observed during the lockdown.
- Greatest reductions were seen in admissions for dizziness/syncope (-53%), heart failure (-38%), COPD exacerbations (-28%), and unstable angina (-23%).
- Admissions for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and stroke remained unchanged. Older adults (≥60 years) and urban residents showed greater declines.
Conclusions:
- The COVID-19 lockdown in western Germany led to a significant decrease in hospitalizations for cardiovascular events.
- The reduction was primarily driven by "discretionary" cardiovascular conditions, not by unavoidable emergencies like STEMI or stroke.
Background:
A decline in hospitalization for cardiovascular events and catheter laboratory activation was reported for the United States and Italy during the initial stage of the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020. We report on the deployment of emergency services for cardiovascular events in a defined region in western Germany during the government-imposed lock-down period.
Methods:
We examined 5799 consecutive patients who were treated by emergency services for cardiovascular events during the Covid-19 pandemic (January 1 to April 30, 2020), and compared those to the corresponding time frame in 2019. Examining the emergency physicians' records provided by nine locations in the area, we found a 20% overall decline in cardiovascular admissions.
Results:
The greatest reduction could be seen immediately following the government-imposed social restrictions. This reduction was mainly driven by a reduction in discretionary admissions for dizziness/syncope (-53%), heart failure (-38%), exacerbated COPD (-28%) and unstable angina (-23%), while unavoidable admissions for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and stroke were unchanged. There was a greater decline in emergency admissions for patients ≥60 years. There was also a greater reduction in emergency admissions for those living in urban areas compared to suburban areas.
Conclusions:
During the Covid-19 pandemic, a significant decline in hospitalization for cardiovascular events was observed during the government-enforced shutdown in a predefined area in western Germany. This reduction in admissions was mainly driven by "discretionary" cardiovascular events (unstable angina, heart failure, exacerbated COPD and dizziness/syncope), but events in which admission was unavoidable (CPR, STEMI and stroke) did not change.
More Related Videos
09:36Halogenated Agent Delivery in Porcine Model of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome via an Intensive Care Unit Type Device
Published on: September 24, 2020
05:16Cutoff Value of Phase Angle by Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis at Admission as a Prognostic Factor in Patients with Acute Heart Failure
Published on: June 10, 2025
Related Concept Videos
01:30Coronary Artery Disease III: Clinical Manifestations
01:30Introduction Cardiac Emergencies
01:27Coronary Artery Disease V: Interprofessional Care
01:18Cardiovascular Drugs: Classification based on Therapeutic Indications
01:21Rheumatic Heart Disease III: Medical Management
01:20Exercise and Cardiovascular Response
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...