Regression analyses confirmed highly significant upward trends in both mortality rate (β = +0.689 per 100,000/year; 95% CI: 0.326–1.052; p = 0.002; R 2 = 0.61) and death counts (β = +36.5 deaths/year; p < 0.001; R 2 = 0.67).
The pre-COVID restricted model did not reach statistical significance (β = −53.4; p = 0.134; R 2 = 0.26), suggesting that while surgical volumes were declining pre-pandemic, the trend reached significance when pandemic-period reductions were incorporated.
In contrast, cardiac catheterization increased significantly during the pre-COVID period (2012–2019) but did not demonstrate a significant trend when the 2020–2022 period was included, suggesting that interventional cardiology services were expanding prior to 2020 but experienced disruption or plateau during the late period.