Dear members,
The SARS COVID-19 pandemic continues to create dramatic and daily evolving challenges with profound impacts on people’s lives. Dealing with the COVID-19 crisis requires rapid health system changes on a scale rarely seen before. The recurring outbreak of COVID-19 in certain parts of the world may predict that a secondary outbreak is in front of us. In the absence of documented effective specific treatment of COVID-19, the situation requests that the changes introduced now may restructure healthcare forever. Remote consultations and other forms of virtual care represent just examples of approaches many have sought implemented for years, which have now been introduced virtually overnight. While these initiatives are beneficial for COVID-19 management, we must not forget that other diseases still occur. The focus on COVID-19 should not detract from providing optimal care for such patients, who often include cardiac patients with an urgent diagnostic need because the treatment effect is dependent on rapid therapy. Ignoring potential cardiac symptoms by the patient or misclassifying acute cardiac disease in a moment of focus upon COVID-19 may have fatal consequences.
I encourage everybody to remember that the “old diseases” persist and should be treated accordingly.
Most of all I hope that you, your families, your colleagues and your communities remain safe and well.
Rosalinda Madonna, Chairperson
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Our mission: To reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease.