Echocardiography during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic - the impact of the vaccination program. A 2021 update of the expert opinion of the Working Group on Echocardiography of the Polish Cardiac Society.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in an urgent need to reorganize the work of echocardiography laboratories in order to ensure the safety of patients and the protection of physicians, technicians, and other staff members. In the previous Expert Opinion of the Working Group on Echocardiography of Polish Cardiac Society we provided recommendations for the echocardiographic services, in order to ensure maximum possible safety and efficiency of imagers facing epidemic threat. Now, with much better knowledge and larger experience in treating COVID-19 patients and with introduction of vaccination programs, we present updated recommendations for performing transthoracic and transesophageal examinations, including information on the potential impact of personnel and the patient vaccination program, and growing numbers of convalescents on performance of echocardiographic laboratories, with the goal of their ultimate reopening.

The patient with heart failure in the face of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: an expert opinion of the Heart Failure Working Group of the Polish Cardiac Society

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS­CoV­2), a new coronavirus that induces acute respiratory failure among other conditions, is the cause of the rapidly spreading coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID­19), affecting thousands of people around the world. The present expert opinion is a synthetic summary of the current knowledge on the various aspects of heart failure in patients with COVID­19. The aim of the paper was to provide clinicians with necessary information useful in daily clinical practice.

Expert opinion of the Working Group on Heart Failure of the Polish Cardiac Society: the patient with heart failure facing the COVID-19 pandemic

New coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus) acute respiratory failure is the cause of the rapidly spreading coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019), affecting thousands of people around the world. Due to the limited information on heart dysfunction in patients with COVID-19, a synthetic summary of current knowledge is needed to help clinicians who care for patients with cardiovascular disease, especially heart failure (HF) patients. We present the expert opinion of the Polish Cardiac Society - Working Group of Heart Failure (PCS - HF).

Echocardiography during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic: expert opinion of the Working Group on Echocardiography of the Polish Cardiac Society.

Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography may be required in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID­19), resulting in direct contact with the patient and risk of transmitting the infection from patients to medical personnel. Therefore, we recommend to perform problem­oriented time­limited transthoracic examinations. Whenever possible, examinations should be analyzed offline, outside the isolation zones. Transesophageal echocardiography is considered an aerosol­generating procedure and should be performed only as a lifesaving procedure. Personnel should use appropriate personal protection equipment in the immediate vicinity of the patients in accordance with the relevant guidelines.