Triage and management of the ACHD patient with COVID-19: A single center approach

Int J Cardiol. 2020 Dec 1:320:178-182. doi: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2020.06.023. Epub 2020 Jun 19.

Abstract

With the recent emergence of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19, healthcare facilities and personnel are expected to rapidly triage and care for patients with even the most complex medical conditions. Adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) represent an often-intimidating group of complex cardiovascular disorders. Given that general internists and general cardiologists will often be asked to evaluate this group during the pandemic, we propose here an abbreviated triage algorithm that will assist in identifying the patient's overarching ACHD phenotype and baseline cardiac status. The strategy outlined allows for rapid triage and groups various anatomic CHD variants into overarching phenotypes, permitting care teams to quickly review key points in the management of moderate to severely complex ACHD patients.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Betacoronavirus
  • COVID-19
  • Cardiovascular Diseases* / diagnosis
  • Cardiovascular Diseases* / etiology
  • Cardiovascular Diseases* / physiopathology
  • Clinical Decision Rules
  • Clinical Decision-Making
  • Communicable Disease Control
  • Coronavirus Infections* / epidemiology
  • Coronavirus Infections* / prevention & control
  • Delivery of Health Care / methods
  • Delivery of Health Care / organization & administration
  • Delivery of Health Care / trends
  • Heart Defects, Congenital* / classification
  • Heart Defects, Congenital* / complications
  • Heart Defects, Congenital* / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Pandemics* / prevention & control
  • Patient Selection
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / epidemiology
  • Pneumonia, Viral* / prevention & control
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Symptom Assessment / methods
  • Triage* / organization & administration
  • Triage* / standards