Heart surgery delays will cost lives, warns research

Pandemic has delayed lifesaving treatment for thousands of people with severe aortic stenosis. Our approach does not put the onus on only management or doctors, but creates a joint solution that is easier to implement in practice Feryal Erhun Urgent action is needed to clear the backlog of people with a common heart condition who are waiting for lifesaving treatment, according to published in the journal BMJ Open . The researchers have warned that a lack of action could result in thousands of people dying while waiting for treatment. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to thousands of heart procedures being postponed and record waiting lists. Previous work has estimated that 4,989 people in England with severe aortic stenosis missed out on life-saving treatment between March and November 2020. Aortic stenosis develops when the heart's aortic valve becomes narrowed, restricting blood flow out of the heart. Prompt treatment is vital for people diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis, as around 50 percent will die within two years of symptoms beginning.