Don’t panic over heart attacks as numbers show no alarming rise: Karnataka Minister

Asking the public not to panic over heart attacks, Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil on Monday said that the data does not show any significant increase.

“Lifestyle changes can prevent heart attack episodes. Though concerns have been raised over heart attacks, there has been no significant increase. On an average, 5% to 6% of the cases are heart-related. The trend remains the same this year too,” the Minister told Legislative Council in response to a question from Congress member Dinesh Gooligowda. “Isolated incidents should not create panic among public.” The Minister also clarified that lifestyle has been major contributor to heart attacks.

Dr. Patil said that there has been no evidence to link post-COVID-19 effects to heart attack cases, and a committee, led by K.S. Rabindranath, director of Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, and a task force set up by the Health department have dismissed any link between the two.

Tele ECG to be expanded

Meanwhile, to a question from BJP member Dhananjaya Sarji, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said that the tele ECG facility will be extended to all taluk hospitals and PHCs across the State. Currently, it is available in 86 hospitals.

He told the House that there is a proposal to install AED devices used to revive persons who suffer a heart attack at public places, including airports, bus stands and railway stations.

Mr. Rao said that cathlabs have been proposed in Mangaluru, Hosapete, and at C.V. Raman Nagar in Bengaluru.

Number of cases

The Minister also informed the House that since heart attack was not a notifiable disease earlier, it was difficult to ascertain the exact number of cases. However, under Puneeth Rajkumar Hrudaya Jyothi scheme, 1,004 heart attack-related deaths were reported in the last three years at primary care centres.

At Sri Jayadeva Institute, 6.12 lakh heart-attack cases have been reported in which 472 persons below 45 years have died. He further stated that the Dr. Rabindranath committee has found that in nearly 75% of all cases persons were at risk owing to more than one factor.