Why you don't want to be Michael Jackson

Studies reveal that 70% Indians believe that cardiac arrest is just another heart attack. FYI tells you why they couldn't be more wrong, and how you can make sure you don't face the same fate as the King of Pop

Studies reveal that 70% Indians believe that cardiac arrest is just another heart attack. FYI tells you why they couldn't be more wrong, and how you can make sure you don't face the same fate as the King of Pop

The world went into shock on June 25, 2009, when entertainer Michael Jackson died of a cardiac arrest in his Los Angeles home, aged 50. Though experts said that Jackson was suffering from multiple health problems, some doctors believe that the King of Pop was as healthy as the next 50 year-old. The Los Angeles County coroner's report showed that Jackson's heart had no sign of plaque buildup, and his kidneys and most other major organs were normal. This Is It, the film made about the last concert he was supposed to perform at, also shows an energetic Jackson dancing and singing.

Popstar Michael Jackson died in his Los Angeles home this June after suffering from a massive cardiac arrest. PIC/AFP

Closer home, just about a week ago, Ranjan Das, the president of SAP India, died of heart attack, aged 42.

Ranjan was a fitness freak and was actually going home from the gym when he collapsed. Both Jackson and Das were victims of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA), which can lead to the death of an individual within a few minutes. As per WHO census statistics, mortality due to cardiac causes has overtaken mortality due to all types of cancers put together. Approximately 4,280 out of every one lakh people die every year from SCA in India alone.

It's different from a heart attack
"Most people think a cardiac arrest is the same as a heart attack. But that's a scary misconception," says Dr Shoaib Padaria, Interventional Cardiologist at Jaslok Hospital. "A cardiac arrest is a sudden stoppage of heart, while a heart attack is when the blood flow to the still-beating heart is interrupted." SCAs usually occur due to two reasons u2014 if there is an electrical problem in the circuits from the heart or if someone is born with a defect, or when a blood vessel suddenly closes down and the heart can't take it. "The first problem is the less serious one, as the patient's heart is used to the circulation problems. But the second problem is what is dangerous for young Indians," says Padaria. "Smoking, eating tobacco, gutka, gorging on fatty and cholesterol-rich food weakens the inner lining of the coronary artery in the heart. When the artery ruptures, the cholesterol gets exposed to the heart, causing blockages and eventually the stoppage of the heart."

Healthy hearts of young Indians more at risk
Dr Sudhir Vaishnav, Senior Interventional Cardiologist, Asian Heart Institute, reveals that the supposed healthy hearts are more at risk of a SCA than an unhealthy one. "SCA has become a constant threat for people aged 35 to 40. Their healthy hearts have vulnerable plaque, which is an accumulation of cholesterol and fat. One day, that plaque pops like a popcorn and causes instant blockage causing a cardiac arrest. Almost 50% of these patients will die before they even get medical help," says Vaishnav, who says that people who have always had heart problems are more likely to survive a cardiac arrest than a healthy person. Young Indians are more at risk because of unhealthy lifestyle habits such as inactivity, smoking, eating junk food and stress.

What is a Sudden Cardiac Arrest?
Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a sudden, unexpected failure of heart function occurring due to fast fluttering action of the ventricles, which does not allow enough blood to be pumped out to the organs which include the brain and the heart itself.

Why does it happen?
>>Excessive smoking or intake of gutka and tobacco
>>A daily diet of fatty and cholesterol-rich food
>>Obesity
>>Diabetes
>>High blood pressure
>>Stress
>>Even prolonged exposure to high quantities of alcohol can increase the risk of heart attack
>>Lack of exercise

Symptoms
>>Light-headedness
>>Chest pain, with sensation of tightness, pressure, or squeezing
>>Trouble breathing and palpitations.
>>Diaphoresis (an excessive form of sweating)
>>Weakness and sleep disturbance
>>Nausea and vomiting

Prevention
>>Exercise for at least half an hour most days of the week.
>>Eat right preferably a diet low in saturated fat (less red meat) and high in fruits and vegetables.
>>Lose weight (if you're overweight).
>>Don't smoke smokers are two to four times as likely to develop plaque in the coronary arteries.
>>Reduce emotional stress

First Aid
"In case of a cardiac arrest, just give a big thump to the heart," says Dr Padaria, "and also massage it, giving mouth to mouth resuscitation." Also immediately call emergency services.

Smoking is the big killer
According to the data collected during a study conducted by the New England Journal of Medicine in India in May 2008, out of 33,000 deceased women, those who had smoked, died or suffered from heart or lung-related respiratory, vascular or neo-plastic diseases. The study also showed that the trend of smoking among women between 30 and 69 years in India rose steadily from three percent to six percent over the decades. Previous studies have associated smoking with reduction in median survival of eight years for women, compared to six years for men in the country. "Any intake of tobacco is deadly," says Dr Padaria, corroborating the results of a major Canadian-led global study, Interheart, which showed that smoking 1-5 cigarettes daily increases the risk of an cardiac arrest by 40%. The study also said that Indians were more prone to heart diseases, with both Indian men and women being prone to heart attacks a decade earlier than Caucasians.

Who's more at risk: Men or women?
"According to the Framingham Heart Study, conducted in the US, men are more prone to cardiac arrests before the age of 50, while women get more susceptible after they hit menopause, because of the hormonal changes," says Dr Padaria. According to statistics, the number of coronary diseases in women have increased by 300 percent in the last five years. The mortality rate among women suffering from cardiovascular diseases is also higher than that of men across the world, including India. Experts believe that the main reason behind the increased mortality rate in women is the changes in lifestyle in metropolitan cities. In big cities, women are working graveyard (late) shifts and more women are taking up smoking and drinking to deal with personal and professional stress.

SCa has become a constant threat for people aged 35 to 40. Their healthy hearts have vulnerable plaque, which is an accumulation of cholesterol and fat. One day, that plaque pops like a popcorn and causes instant blockage causing a cardiac arrest.
Dr Sudhir Vaishnav, Senior Interventional Cardiologist, Asian Heart Institute