J Hypertens. 2022 Jun 1;40(Suppl 1):e28. doi: 10.1097/01.hjh.0000835516.74875.81.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The Covid-19 pandemic necessitated a decrease in non-Covid-19 related diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in many countries. We explored the impact on hypertension care in the Excellence Center (EC) network of the European Society of Hypertension.
DESIGN AND METHOD: We conducted an electronic survey regarding 6 key procedures in hypertension care among our ECs.
RESULTS: Overall, 54 ECs from 18 European and 3 non-European countries participated. From 2019 to 2020, there was a significant decrease in the median number per center of ambulatory blood pressure monitorings (ABPMs; 544 vs 289), duplex ultrasound investigations of renal arteries (DUS RA; 88.5 vs 55), computed tomographic investigations of renal arteries (CT RA; 66 vs 19.5), percutaneous renal artery angioplasties (PTA RA; 5 vs 1), laboratory tests for catecholamines (2019: 116 vs 67.5) and for ennin/aldosterone (146 vs 83.5). All comparisons were statistically significant with p < 0.001, respectively (Figure). While the reduction in all diagnostic and therapeutic procedures was observed in all 3-months period comparisons between 2019 and 2020, the most profound decrease occurred from April to June 2020, which was the period of the first wave and the first lockdown in most countries. In this period, as compared to 2019, the median reduction in 2020 was 50.7% (ABPM), 47.1% (DUS RA), 50% (CT RA), 57.1% (PTA RA), 46.9% (catecholamines) and 41% (ennin/aldosterone), respectively. Based on Friedman test, overall differences in reduction between 3 months time intervals were statistically highly significant.
CONCLUSIONS: Diagnostic and therapeutic procedures related to hypertension were dramatically reduced during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, with the largest reduction during the first lockdown. The long-term consequences regarding blood pressure control and, ultimately, cardiovascular events remain to be investigated.
PMID:36027541 | DOI:10.1097/01.hjh.0000835516.74875.81
