5 states saw 27% spike in heart-related deaths in first 3 months of coronavirus pandemic

The U.S. has seen far more deaths from heart disease during the coronavirus pandemic when compared to historical averages, according to a Washington Post analysis of federal data.

By the numbers: Five states hit the hardest in the pandemic's early days — Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey and New York — saw 8,300 more deaths from heart problems during March, April and May than usual, marking a 27% jump.

• Those states had a combined 75,000 "excess deaths" over that period, and 17,000 were not directly attributed to coronavirus infections.
• New York City was the epicenter of heart-linked excess deaths with more than 4,700.

The big picture: Emergency room visits for heart attacks fell by 23% in the 10 weeks following the declaration of a national emergency for the pandemic on March 13, per a CDC report.

• They dropped by 20% for stroke and 10% for uncontrolled high blood sugar, a key symptom of diabetes, in that same timeframe.

Why it matters: It highlights a deadly facet of the pandemic that can often be overlooked. Patients with serious heart conditions may have died "as a result of delaying or not seeking care as the outbreak progressed and swamped some hospitals," per the Post.