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. 2024 Jan 3;14(1):397.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-50709-w.

Emergency department visits of newly diagnosed cardiovascular disease patients in Korea during the COVID-19 pandemic

Ji Yoon Baek  1   2   3 , Seung Hee Seo  1   2   3 , Sooyoung Cho  4 , Jun-Bean Park  5   6 , Bhumsuk Keam  7   8 , Shin Hye Yoo  8 , Aesun Shin  9   10   11   12
Affiliations

Emergency department visits of newly diagnosed cardiovascular disease patients in Korea during the COVID-19 pandemic

Ji Yoon Baek et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the emergency department (ED) visits of cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients. The customized data of the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) from 2017 to 2020 were analyzed. CVD patients were defined by the code 'V192' based on the NHIS coverage benefit expansion policy. The number of ED visits of CVD patients, as well as executed procedures in 2020 (during the pandemic), were compared to the corresponding average numbers in 2018 and 2019 (prepandemic). Stratification by age group, residential area and hospital location was performed. The number of ED visits of newly diagnosed CVD patients decreased by 2.1% nationwide in 2020 (2018-2019: 97,041; 2020: 95,038) and decreased the most (by 14.1%) in March (2018-2019: 8539; 2020: 7334). However, the number of executed procedures increased by 1.1% nationwide in 2020 (2018-2019: 74,696; 2020: 75,520), while it decreased by 11.9% in April (2018-2019: 6603; 2020: 5819). The most notable decreases in the number of newly diagnosed CVD patients (31.7%) and procedures (29.2%) in March 2020 were observed in the Daegu·Gyeongbuk area. CVD patients living in the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic may experience difficulty accessing healthcare facilities and receiving proper treatment.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The number of daily newly confirmed COVID-19 cases in Korea in 2020.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The percentage difference in the number of new ED visits of CVD patients by residential area in 2020 compared to 2018–2019. ED Emergency department, CVD Cardiovascular disease.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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