Gujarat logs 830 distress calls of 'heart attacks' during 9 days of Navratri festival

Ahmedabad (Gujarat): A spike in heart attack cases during the nine days of the Navratri festival in Gujarat's Ahmedabad, has set the alarm bell ringing.

As per data provided by the Ahmedabad 108 emergency helpline, 830 calls where people complained of chest compression and 'heart attacks' were logged from 33 districts of Gujarat at the main centre during the Navratri festival. A total of 228 cases of suspected heart attacks were reported in Ahmedabad city within the nine days of the festival from October 15 to October 23.

Over a thousand cases of respiratory ailment distress calls were registered on the emergency helpline across the state. On average 22 heart attack cases were reported daily in Ahmedabad over the period of nine days of the festival. Whereas, 32 cases of respiratory disease were reported daily. Commenting on the rise of heart attacks, Dr Bonnie Gajjar, a well-known cardiologist, said, "Nowadays, youths are becoming victims of heart attack. Young people are becoming hypertensive due to improper lifestyle. They are contracting the disease at an early age."

In 2022, 49,321 cases of cardiac emergency were reported across Gujarat. This year, 47,202 cases have been reported till September. In Ahmedabad, 14,704 emergency cases were reported in 12 months in 2022, whereas a total of 14,236 cases were reported till 30 September 2023.

Once associated only with the elderly, the disease preys on people of any age now. Kanubhai Desai, minister in Gujarat cabinet, said that cases of heart attack were happening not only in Gujarat but in the entire country. "Such cases have nothing to do with the Covid-19 vaccination. One should pay attention to his lifestyle. The government has been trying to find out the reason behind such heart attacks and the report will be ready in six months."

Apart from this, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is also working on auto biopsy. It will help in detecting the cause of heart attack, the minister added.