The public health crisis in the wake of Hurricane Harvey will play out over days, months and years. For a case study in how to best handle such a massive challenge, a recent article by the American Heart Association looks back to 2004 and the destruction of New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina.
“The interruption of care needs to be handled as best as possible,” said Keith Ferdinand, MD, of the Tulane University Heart and Vascular Institute in New Orleans and immediate-past chair of the National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention. “The stress and anxiety related to a natural disaster can be overwhelming to patients—not only those immediately impacted by flooding, but to those who have seen their family and friends affected,” said Ferdinand. “This is especially felt by elderly patients moving, maybe for the first time in years, which can also lead to disorientation.”
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