Emergent/urgent IPEs and hospitalizations
Since the adoption of this new protocol, 230 (20.6%) of the 1114 IPEs scheduled for March-April were performed, 33 (3%) of which were urgent/emergent and required hospitalization in 24 (2.1%) cases. Specifically, 4 “Low-Risk” patients required an IPE and 3 were admitted to the cardiology department or intensive care unit due to a PMK pocket infection, syncope secondary to high-degree atrioventricular block documented by the ILR requiring PMK implantation and advanced HF unresponsive to diuretic therapy in a CRT patient. Moreover, one “High Risk” patient with an ICD for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death was admitted to intensive care unit due to electric storm. Twenty-eight (2.5%) of the 989 patients in RM required an urgent/emergent IPE and 19 (1.7%) were admitted to the hospital. Moreover, a 78-year-old man with Advanced Heart Failure and multiple comorbidities died from Multi Organ Failure as a consequence of bacterial sepsis.