The Restructuring of Structural Heart Disease Practice During The Covid-19 Pandemic

Chung, Christine J.; Nazif, Tamim M.; Wolbinski, Mariusz; Hakemi, Emad; Lebehn, Mark; Brandwein, Russell; Rezende, Carolina Pinheiro; Doolittle, James; Rabbani, Leroy; Uriel, Nir; Schwartz, Allan; Biviano, Angelo; Wan, Elaine; Hathaway, Lisa; Hahn, Rebecca; Khalique, Omar; Hamid, Nadira; Ng, Vivian; Patel, Amisha; Vahl, Torsten; Kirtane, Ajay; Bapat, Vinayak; George, Isaac; Leon, Martin B.; Kodali, Susheel K.

Abstract Patients with structural heart disease (SHD) are at increased risk of adverse outcomes from the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) due to advanced age and comorbidity. In the midst of a global pandemic of a novel infectious disease, reality-based considerations comprise an important starting point for formulating clinical management pathways. The aim of these “crisis-driven” recommendations is (1) to ensure appropriate and timely treatment of SHD patients, (2) to minimize the risk of COVID-19 exposure to patients and healthcare workers, and (3) to limit resource utilization under conditions of constraint. While the degree of disruption to usual practice will vary across the United States and elsewhere, we hope that early experiences from a Heart Team operating in the current global epicenter of COVID-19 may prove useful for others adapting their practice in advance of local surges of COVID-19.