Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on cardiovascular diseases hospitalisation, management and mortality in Switzerland

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 pandemic led to a reduction in hospital admissions and intervention for other diseases in many countries. We aimed to assess the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on cardiovascular disease (CVD) hospitalisations, management and mortality in Switzerland. METHODS: Swiss hospital discharge and mortality data for period 2017–2020. CVD hospitalisations, CVD interventions and CVD mortality were assessed before (2017–2019) and during (2020) the pandemic. Expected numbers of admissions, interventions and deaths for 2020 were computed using simple linear regression model. RESULTS: Compared with 2017–2019, 2020 was characterised by a reduction of CVD admissions in age groups 65–84 and ≥85 by approximately 3700 and 1700 cases, respectively, and by an increase in the percentage of admissions with a Charlson index >8. The total number of CVD-related deaths decreased from 21 042 in 2017 to 19 901 in 2019, and increased to 20 511 in 2020, with an estimated excess of 1139 deaths. This increase was due to out-of-hospital deaths (+1342), while the number of in-hospital deaths decreased from 5030 in 2019 to 4796 in 2020, which concerned mostly subjects aged ≥85 years. The total number of admissions with cardiovascular interventions increased from 55 181 in 2017 to 57 864 in 2019, and decreased in 2020, with an estimated reduction of 4414 admissions; percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) was the exception, as the number and percentage of emergency admissions with PTCA increased. The preventive measures applied against COVID-19 inverted the seasonal pattern of CVD admissions, the highest number of admissions being found in summer and the lowest in winter. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic led to a reduction in CVD hospital admissions, planned CVD interventions, an increase in total and out-of-hospital CVD deaths and a change in seasonal patterns.