Cardiologie clinique et expérimentale
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Abstrait

Infection Control Unit Suppresses Airborne Aerosols during Cardiac Stress Testing in an Outpatient Cardiology Clinic

G. Aernout Somsen, Daniel Bonn*

Introduction: Patients with cardiovascular disease are at increased risk of complications of COVID19. Microdroplet aerosols play an important role in viral (SARS-CoV-2) transmission especially during (cardiac) diagnostic- and therapeutic procedures as medical personnel operates close to the patient. To better protect these vulnerable patients and ensure a safe continuity of these procedures during the COVID19 pandemic, we studied an Infection Control Unit (ICU) which actively clears out potentially dangerous aerosols during cardiac stress testing.

Results: We measured the aerosol generation and persistence and CO2 levels during cardiac bicycle stress testing, in an outpatient cardiology clinic. The measurements were performed in a ventilated room, with and without a Novaerus NV800 ICU. Without the infection control unit, levels of aerosol and CO2 concentration increased significantly during the stress test. With the ICU, CO2 concentration increases but the aerosols are no longer detected.

Conclusion: The Novaerus NV800 ICU suppresses airborne aerosols efficiently, to levels that are no longer detectable resulting in a reduced transmission risk of SARS CoV-2 during cardiac stress testing. This enables not only a safe continuity of care for cardiovascular patients but also for patients who are subjected to other diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, during the COVID19 pandemic.