Investigating the increase in cerebrovascular disease and st eleve myocardial infarction cases after COVİD-19

Objective: In our study, we aimed to determine whether COVID-19 increases the incidences of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Materials and methods: Our study was conducted with patients admitted to the emergency department during the pandemic (July 1 - December 31, 2020) and prepandemic period (July 1 - December 31, 2019) with a diagnosis of AIS and/or STEMI. Age, gender, number of patients, comorbidities, diagnoses and mortality rates of patients admitted during the pandemic and pre-pandemic periods were compared. Results: The mean age of the patients included in the study was 71.8± 13 years and 48.3% were male. It was found that 255 ischemic patients (STEMI and/or AIS) admitted in the pre-pandemic period decreased to 165 during the pandemic period (p<0.05). In our study, there was a 38.8% decrease in the overall ischemic (STEMI and/or AIS) group, 38.2% in the AIS group, and 29.1% in the STEMI group during the pandemic period. The mean age and gender ratios of patients admitted in the pre-pandemic period were similar to those admitted during the pandemic period (p>0.05). The prevalence of chronic renal failure and hyperlipidemia (HL) was high in all ischemic (STEMI and/or AIS) groups and in patients with AIS who presented during the pandemic period (p<0.05). In STEMI, no difference was found between the groups when the comorbidities of patients admitted during the pandemic period and the pre-pandemic period were compared (p>0.05). In all ischemic patients (STEMI and/or AIS) and patients diagnosed with STEMI, the excitation rate was significantly higher during the pandemic period compared to the pre-pandemic period (p<0.05). In our study, 8.1% of patients presenting with STEMI and/or AIS were found to have COVID-19. There was no difference in age, gender, comorbidity (except HL in STEMI) and mortality frequency in all ischemia (STEMI and/or AIS), STEMI and AIS groups with and without COVID19 (p>0.05). In the STEMI group, the frequency of HL was significantly higher in COVID-19 positive patients compared to COVID-19 negative patients (p<0.05). Conclusion: compared to the pre-pandemic period, there was a decrease in the number of patients admitted due to AIS and/or STEMI during the pandemic period, while mortality rates increased. Key words: COVID-19, ischemic stroke, ST elevation myocardial infarction