Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Cardiovascular Healthcare in Croatia: A Comprehensive Nationwide Survey

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Public Health
• Health Services Research

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted global healthcare systems.
• The specific effects on cardiovascular healthcare in Croatia were not well understood.
• Understanding these impacts is crucial for future pandemic preparedness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare cardiovascular service utilization before (2017-2019) and during (2020-2021) the COVID-19 pandemic in Croatia.
• To assess the resilience and adaptability of the Croatian cardiovascular healthcare system.
• To identify changes in specific diagnostic and interventional procedures.

Main Methods:

• Utilized nationwide data from the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (covering 95% of claims).
• Compared service utilization rates for coronary angiographies, advanced heart failure treatments, percutaneous coronary interventions, transcatheter aortic valve implantations, and specific laboratory tests.
• Analyzed data from pre-pandemic (2017-2019) and pandemic (2020-2021) periods.

Main Results:

• Coronary angiography use decreased during the pandemic.
• Utilization of advanced heart failure treatments and percutaneous coronary interventions (especially for acute myocardial infarction) increased.
• Transcatheter aortic valve implantations and laboratory diagnostics (troponin, natriuretic peptides) significantly rose.
• Most other cardiovascular services remained stable or saw minor declines.

Conclusions:

• The Croatian cardiovascular healthcare system demonstrated resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Access to critical diagnostic and interventional cardiovascular procedures was largely maintained and, in some areas, expanded.
• The findings provide insights into system adaptability amidst significant challenges.