75 persons die of heart attack in three months in Davanagere district

Th e rising number of sudden deaths due to heart attacks in Karnataka has not spared Davangere district either. In the last three months alone, between 16 and 18 people are reported to have died of sudden heart attacks, while 57 others have died due to other heart-related ailments, according to District Surveillance Officer Dr. G.T. Raghavan.

However, he clarified that there is no need for panic as the incidence of heart attacks and cardiac diseases in Davangere remains comparatively lower than in other districts. As per records from the district hospital and other healthcare facilities, 22 deaths occurred in April, 29 in May, and 24 in June, adding up to 75 deaths linked to cardiac causes in just three months. Figures from private hospitals are yet to be compiled. Additionally, taluk-level data shows that in 2024 there were 15 reported heart attacks, while in 2025 so far there have been 9 cases.

Breaking down the taluk-wise data, Dr. Raghavan said that Jagalur taluk recorded three deaths last year and one this year; Harihar taluk saw five deaths last year and three this year; Honnali taluk reported seven deaths last year and five so far this year. These numbers have led to a spike in people seeking ECG and other heart-related check-ups across Davangere. He urged citizens not to worry but to stay alert and seek immediate medical help if they experience any cardiac symptoms.

Conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer can only be controlled if detected early, Dr. Raghavan explained. Once diagnosed, they require lifelong treatment and cannot be cured permanently, he added, noting that there is no mandatory system for hospitals to store detailed records of such chronic conditions.

According to Dr. Raghavan, heart attacks occur mainly due to two reasons — hereditary factors and changing lifestyle and dietary habits. Along with eating healthy, people should ensure they get adequate rest and avoid excessive stress.

Continuous stress puts pressure on the heart and increases risk. As part of preventive steps, the government has launched a survey targeting citizens above 30 years of age to gather data on heart diseases and around 8 to 14 other chronic ailments. ASHA workers and health officials are visiting households to collect this information. Sharing accurate health data with them will help detect problems early and prevent severe outcomes. He appealed especially to the youth to pay attention to their food habits and lifestyle. He recommended that everyone above 30 years undergo a check-up every six months and adopt yoga or other stress management practices to lower the risk of heart attacks.

Doctors point out that cardiac arrest and heart attack are not the same. While cardiac arrest is a sudden stoppage of the heart (known as cardiac arrest), a heart attack is medically called myocardial infarction. In the event of a heart attack, the first hour — the ‘golden hour’ — is crucial. If the patient is rushed to the hospital and treated within that window, survival chances are significantly higher. But in the case of a cardiac arrest, saving a life is extremely challenging because it can occur without warning and is often fatal.Factors like neglecting early signs, overexerting at the gym, irregular food habits, lack of rest and abrupt lifestyle changes can increase the risk of cardiac arrest, he warned. People with high blood pressure or diabetes should be particularly cautious. Shortness of breath after mild activity, excessive sweating, or pain on the left side of the chest are classic signs of an impending heart attack. Dr. Raghavan strongly advised that such symptoms should never be ignored and immediate medical help must be sought. While heart attacks are less common in those below 45 years, they are increasingly seen in middle-aged people. In Davangere district itself, 4 to 5 people under 45 have died of heart attacks recently, he said.