Heart, lung & circulation
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Heart, lung & circulation · Jul 2020
LetterCSANZ Position Statement on the Evaluation of Patients Presenting With Suspected Acute Coronary Syndromes During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
A pandemic of Coronavirus-19 disease was declared by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020. The pandemic is expected to place unprecedented demand on health service delivery. This position statement has been developed by the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand to assist clinicians to continue to deliver rapid and safe evaluation of patients presenting with suspected acute cardiac syndrome at this time. The position statement complements, and should be read in conjunction with, the National Heart Foundation of Australia & Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand: Australian Clinical Guidelines for the Management of Acute Coronary Syndromes 2016: Section 2 'Assessment of Possible Cardiac Chest Pain'.
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Heart, lung & circulation · Jul 2020
LetterPatients With Genetic Heart Disease and COVID-19: A Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ) Consensus Statement.
In the context of the current global COVID-19 pandemic, this Consensus Statement provides current recommendations for patients with, or at risk of developing, genetic heart disease, and for their health care management and service provision in Australia and New Zealand. Apart from general recommendations, there are specific recommendations for the following conditions: cardiomyopathy, Brugada syndrome (including in children), long QT syndrome (LQTS) and catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT). Other recommendations are relevant to patient self-care and primary health care.
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Heart, lung & circulation · Jul 2020
LetterRural and Remote Cardiology During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ) Consensus Statement.
Rural and remote Australians and New Zealanders have a higher rate of adverse outcomes due to acute myocardial infarction, driven by many factors. The prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is also higher in regional and remote populations, and people with known CVD have increased morbidity and mortality from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In addition, COVID-19 is associated with serious cardiac manifestations, potentially placing additional demand on limited regional services at a time of diminished visiting metropolitan support with restricted travel. Inter-hospital transfer is currently challenging as receiving centres enact pandemic protocols, creating potential delays, and cardiovascular resources are diverted to increasing intensive care unit (ICU) and emergency department (ED) capacity. Regional and rural centres have limited staff resources, placing cardiac services at risk in the event of staff infection or quarantine during the pandemic. ⋯ Health districts, cardiologists and government agencies need to minimise impacts on the already vulnerable cardiovascular health of regional and remote Australians and New Zealanders throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Changes in management should include.