No Heart Attack Spurt In Hassan, Finds Inquiry; Minister Wants Autopsies Of Out-Of-Hospital Sudden Deaths | India News
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Both the report and the Karnataka health minister, who spoke exclusively with News18, underscored the concern regarding sudden deaths in relatively young individuals
Karnataka health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao emphasised the need for increased screening. File pic/PTI
Karnataka health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has affirmed that there is no alarming increase in sudden deaths in Hassan district, following an investigative report commissioned by the state government. The minister’s statement aims to address widespread concerns and media coverage regarding a perceived rise in sudden cardiac deaths among young adults in the region.
“No increase in deaths in Hassan. Nothing to worry about,” stated minister Gundu Rao in an exclusive conversation with CNN-News18. “There is no spurt in numbers compared to last year to this year. There is no increase in sudden death. There is no sudden increase, even when you compare on a monthly basis this year.”
The inquiry, conducted by the director of Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, Bengaluru, analysed 24 deaths that occurred in May-June 2025 in Hassan district and studied the trend of cardiac cases and deaths in the area.
The report found that out of the 24 deaths, four were non-cardiac, attributed to chronic kidney disease, road accident, acute gastroenteritis, and suspected electrocution. Of the remaining 20 deaths, 10 were confirmed cardiac deaths and 10 were probable cardiac deaths based on presentation, risk factors, and symptoms.
While acknowledging limitations in data collection and diagnostic confirmation, the report highlighted that more than 75% of the deceased had one or more cardiac risk factors. These included pre-existing heart disease, smoking, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, family history, and alcohol consumption.
The investigative report concluded that a detailed analysis of heart attack numbers and deaths does not indicate any increase in sudden cardiac deaths in the district, noting it is “almost the same as the previous months in Hassan”. Furthermore, an analysis of cardiac cases at Jayadeva Institute in Bengaluru and its peripheral centres in Mysuru and Kalaburgi over the last six months did not show an increasing trend of cardiac deaths.
However, both the report and the health minister underscored the concern regarding sudden deaths in relatively young individuals, some as young as 19, 21, and 23 years old. Minister Gundu Rao noted, “Younger people who passed away are auto drivers and cab drivers. Some who died, if they had been screened earlier, could have been saved.”
The report also pointed out that while many of these young individuals had identifiable risk factors, in several cases, there was no prior diagnosis or indication of existing heart disease, and deaths often occurred suddenly during sleep or after mild symptoms.
To address these findings, significant recommendations have been put forth. The minister emphasised the need for increased screening, stating, “We are increasing screening. We want to screen everyone who is above 15 years in our government schools. We also want to screen government workers.”
The report also recommended a cardiac health surveillance programme. “All out-of-hospital sudden cardiac deaths should undergo autopsy to assess cause of death as cardiac,” it added.
Minister Gundu Rao echoed this. “Any out-of-hospital sudden deaths need to be autopsied. We want to form guidelines,” he said.
Other key recommendations from the report include ensuring the availability of ECG machines and emergency cardiac medicines at all primary health centres (PHCs) and community health centres (CHCs). Additionally, strengthening emergency response through CPR training for focused groups like school and college students, teachers, and physical trainers, and the availability of AEDs in crowded areas like gyms and malls, were recommended. The report also suggested cardiac screening for auto and cab drivers.
Harish Upadhya, an Assistant Editor at CNN-News18, reports from Bengaluru. Political reporting is his forte. He also tracks India’s space journey, and is passionate about environmental reporting and RTI investi…Read More
Harish Upadhya, an Assistant Editor at CNN-News18, reports from Bengaluru. Political reporting is his forte. He also tracks India’s space journey, and is passionate about environmental reporting and RTI investi… Read More
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