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According to the American Heart Association, more than 1.5 million people in the United States experience a heart attack or stroke each year, with heart disease and stroke consistently among the top causes of death and disability. This costs the US healthcare system over $350 billion annually.1 However, heart attacks and strokes are, in many cases, preventable.
In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, hospitals have seen drastic reductions in admissions for heart attacks and strokes; in an informal poll, well over half of cardiologists reported reductions in admissions for heart attacks of 40 percent or more.2 Providers worry that this pattern is not due to a true reduction in cases – times of disruption and stress would likely mean more cardiovascular events – but likely, a desire among the general public to avoid seeking treatment for fear of catching the virus, until the situation becomes dire.
This striking trend underscores the importance of prevention, early intervention, and public education around cardiovascular risk factors and disease.