How COVID-19 affected the control of hypertension and comorbitities in one cardiological outpatient practice in Bulgaria?

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic affected directly and indirectly the healthcare system in Bulgaria in a very negative manner. The hospitals were flooded with COVID cases and patients were afraid to attend even the outpatient clinics. That resulted in increased mortality and poor control of cardiovascular diseases. We studied the results from the mandatory annual examinations of hypertensive patients in one cardiological outpatient practice in Sofia, Bulgaria in 2021 and 2022. The results showed low level of attendance by the patients in 2021 and poor control of hypertension and comorbidities, that continued even in the post-covid year – 2022.