Percutaneous coronary intervention volumes fell by 55 percent in the early months of the pandemic, a survey of 360 cardiac catheterization laboratories shows.
The survey was administered by Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, in collaboration with the American College of Cardiology Interventional Council in May. It includes responses from 414 cardiac catheterization laboratory directors and interventional cardiologists in the United States. Survey results were published in the journal Catherization & Cardiovascular Interventions.
From March 15 to April 15, median percutaneous coronary intervention volumes dropped by 55 percent, and transcatheter aortic valve replacement volumes dropped by 64 percent compared to volumes in 2019.
About 20 percent of lab directors reported more deaths among patients waiting for transcatheter aortic valve replacement.