Australians delaying vital follow-up cardiovascular surgery, says US study

Australians are not only delaying lifesaving treatment for cardiovascular disease, an international study highlights many are often unwilling to undergo follow-up procedures after surgery.

Cardiologist Nick West said the study underscored the need for the use of novel devices and wearables that track heart rate and a person’s level of activity post-surgery.

Australian patients are delaying lifesaving treatment for cardiovascular disease, according to a new international study that highlights people aged 35 and over are often unwilling to undergo follow-up procedures after surgery.

A US-based study of thousands of vascular disease patients, physicians and healthcare leaders has found Australians are increasingly avoiding follow-up treatments for coronary ­artery disease and peripheral artery disease because of cost, with almost 40 per cent of patients putting off lifesaving treatment.

Beyond Intervention III – an international study surveying patient responses to cardiovascular disease – concluded more than one in two Australians who have undergone surgery for CAD or PAD avoid vital follow-up treatment because of a combination of rising cost or thinking they were “fixed by their first procedure”

Both forms of disease, CAD and PAD, can occur when plaque builds up on the walls of arteries that carry blood between the heart and the rest of the body. This can narrow or block an artery, limiting blood flow and increasing the risk of heart attacks.

Interventional cardiologist Nick West, who led the research initiative, said cardiovascular disease remains the No. 1 cause of death worldwide for industrialised and industrialising societies, but often goes undiagnosed.

Dr West said the survey’s findings showed Australians often did not have a clear understanding of the next steps after a cardiovas­cular-related operation, with ­patients often erroneously thinking they no longer required further treatment.