1.
COVID-19 Launches Retinal Telemedicine into the Next Frontier.
Raparia, E, Husain, D
Seminars in ophthalmology. 2021;(4):258-263
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Telemedicine in ophthalmology, and specifically in retinal diseases, has made significant advancements in recent years. The COVID-19 pandemic has launched telehealth into a new era by creating demand from patients and physicians alike, while breaking down previous insurance, reimbursement, access and educational barriers. METHODS This paper reviews mulitple studies demonstrating the use of telemedicine in managing various retinal conditions before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSION Moving forward, promising new devices and models of care ensure that tele-retinal care will continue to expand and become a vital part of how we screen, diagnose and monitor retinal diseases.
2.
Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Implications of Coronavirus Disease 2019: An Evolving Case Study in the Crescent City.
Razavi, AC, Kelly, TN, He, J, Fernandez, C, Whelton, PK, Krousel-Wood, M, Bazzano, LA
Journal of the American Heart Association. 2020;(13):e016997
Abstract
Medicine and public health have traditionally separated the prevention and treatment of communicable and noncommunicable diseases. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has challenged this paradigm, particularly in the setting of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Overall, individuals with underlying CVD who acquire severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 experience up to a 10-fold higher case-fatality rate compared with the general population. Although the impact of the pandemic on cardiovascular health continues to evolve, few have defined this association from a frontline, public health perspective of populations disproportionately affected by CVD and COVID-19. Louisiana is ranked within the bottom 5 states for cardiovascular health, and it is home to several parishes that have experienced among the highest COVID-19 case-fatality rates nationally. Herein, we review CVD prevention and implications of COVID-19 in New Orleans, LA, a city holding a sobering yet resilient history with previous public health disasters. In particular, we discuss potential pandemic-driven changes in access to health care, preventive pharmacotherapy, and lifestyle behaviors, all of which may adversely affect CVD prevention and management, while amplifying racial disparities. Through this process, we highlight proposed recommendations for how CVD prevention efforts can be improved in the midst of the current COVID-19 pandemic and future public health crises.