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Abstract
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On 6 February 2023, Turkey and Syria were hit by two catastrophic earthquakes followed by thousands of aftershocks. These events tragically affected around 9.1 million people in Turkey and 8.8 million people in Syria, causing 50,000 and 5900 deaths, respectively. More than 3 million people in Turkey and around half a million in Syria were displaced.1 As a cardiology community, we need to know what we can do to prepare our healthcare system and our patients to mitigate future crises.
Earthquakes, like many natural disasters, are associated with negative health impacts. Earthquake survivors have a significant increase in major adverse cardiovascular events like myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, heart failure (HF), and arrhythmia as well as increased atherosclerotic risk factors.2 Multiple mechanisms contribute to these events, without taking into consideration the impact of earthquakes on cardiovascular care and services because of infrastructure damage.2
To mitigate the effect of natural disasters on healthcare during and after the event, it is crucial to adapt a disaster risk management plan, with preparedness being an important component.3 As part of being prepared, all facilities should be assessed for risk regarding their current infrastructure,4 capacity, and essential cardiac services, especially in areas that are vulnerable to natural disasters like earthquakes. After facility assessment, cardiac wards, and catheterization units should be maintained, expanded, and/or remodelled so they can face future challenges. Adequate funding and disaster/emergency budgets are mandatory for risk management planning. Proper authorization schemes can prevent delays in emergency patient management since telephone and internet communications are usually damaged following earthquakes.
Natural disasters highlight the importance of establishing electronic health records (EHR) in different national healthcare systems. It is vital to be able to access patients medical details after the disaster, so their prescription can be maintained, and patients can be managed properly ...
Language: en |