Sudden death of young & fit cause of concern; experts advise awareness
Lucknow: Abhishek, 25, a lawyer, died suddenly on Monday afternoon while walking to court with a colleague. He reportedly felt dizzy, stumbled, hit his face against a wall, and collapsed.
His colleague immediately took him to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. The incident is one of at least four recent sudden deaths in the city, reportedly due to cardiac arrest, raising concerns about unexpected cardiac events in young, seemingly healthy individuals.
The victims include a 24-year-old MBBS intern from Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (RMLIMS), a 29-year-old nursing officer from KGMU, and a 48-year-old state secretariat employee.
All were active, showed no significant prior health issues, and their sudden deaths have left families and colleagues in disbelief.
Health experts are advocating for increased awareness of heart health, early symptom recognition, and emergency response training like CPR.
Prof Pravesh Vishwakarma of KGMU explains that cardiac arrest, distinct from a heart attack, occurs when the heart abruptly stops beating due to an electrical disturbance, leading to immediate cessation of blood flow.
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He identifies three primary medical causes in young, healthy individuals: genetic channelopathy (a hereditary heart rhythm condition), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (thickened heart muscle restricting blood flow), and viral myocarditis (heart muscle inflammation post-viral infection, exacerbated by early return to intense physical activity). While less common, heart attacks are also increasingly seen in younger individuals, linked to sedentary lifestyles, poor diet, and stress.
A 2019 ICMR study on sudden unexplained deaths found no link between Covid-19 vaccination and increased risk; in fact, vaccinated individuals had a lower risk. However, the study associated higher chances of sudden death with binge drinking within 48 hours, frequent alcohol consumption, recreational drug use, a history of Covid-19 hospitalisation, a family history of sudden cardiac death, and strenuous physical activity within two days prior to death.
Prof Vishwakarma advises against ignoring symptoms like chest pain, dizziness, fainting, extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat, or unexplained sweating, especially for those with a family history of heart disease.
Prof Akshaya Pradhan of KGMU recommends that young individuals with a family history begin routine heart screenings by age 20 and adopt a heart-healthy lifestyle. Prof Bhuwan Chandra of RMLIMS supports mandatory annual CPR training in colleges and institutions, emphasizing its importance for young adults who are often present during emergencies.
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