COVID-19 Pandemic Linked to Increased In-Hospital Mortality and Delays in Care for Heart Failure Patients in South Korea

Researchers from Konkuk University Medical Center and other institutions have conducted a retrospective analysis of heart failure patients admitted to emergency departments in South Korea before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study found a 13.7% decline in heart failure-related emergency department visits and a 6.0% reduction in subsequent hospital admissions during the pandemic period. However, in-hospital mortality rose by 11.5% and delays in emergency department presentation, length of stay, and total hospitalization duration increased. The study highlights the urgent need for adaptive healthcare strategies to manage chronic cardiovascular conditions during global health crises.

Key Takeaways:

• The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a 13.7% decline in heart failure-related emergency department visits in South Korea.
• Despite the decline in visits, in-hospital mortality rose by 11.5% during the pandemic period.
• Delays in emergency department presentation, length of stay, and total hospitalization duration increased during the pandemic period.
• Dyspnea was the most common presenting symptom among heart failure patients during the pandemic.
• Multivariable logistic regression identified older age, female sex, and altered mental status at emergency department arrival as independent predictors of in-hospital mortality.
• The study emphasized the need for adaptive healthcare strategies to manage chronic cardiovascular conditions during global health crises.

Statistics:

• 13.7% decline in heart failure-related emergency department visits during the pandemic period.
• 6.0% reduction in subsequent hospital admissions for heart failure patients during the pandemic period.
• 11.5% increase in in-hospital mortality for heart failure patients during the pandemic period.
• 53.8% of heart failure patients presented with dyspnea as the most common symptom.
• 240,828 HF-related emergency department visits were part of the retrospective analysis.

Sources:

• Clinical features and mortality risk factors in hospitalized heart failure patient during the COVID-19 pandemic: A South Korea national emergency department study. Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health, 2025,35():102144.
• Konkuk University Medical Center.
• Department of Emergency Medicine, Konkuk University Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea.