Mumbai: In six months, 2021 saw 206 per cent rise in heart attack deaths

In alarming data, it has been found that the first six months of 2021 saw a tremendous increase in deaths due to heart attacks in Mumbai. The city reported 206 per cent more deaths from heart attacks compared to 2019. Experts have raised concerns over the increase in figures. Some cited a thrombotic state (when blood clots block arteries or veins) due to Covid-19 as the reason behind this. Some others said that a more detailed study is necessary to examine if there was any other reason apart from Covid, like stress or unexplained anomalies.

"Drawing conclusions merely based on the number of deaths, without population dynamic or demographic statistics, history of Covid infection, vaccination status, and existing medication routine will not be a scientific way of assessment. Undoubtedly, patients suffered from Acute Cardiac Events during the pandemic due to the thrombotic state created by the infection. But if these patients had no history of Covid and died purely due to cardiac complications, then the causes could be lifestyle changes, additional distress, or a new clinical anomaly," said Dr Abdul Samad Ansari, director, Critical Care Services, Nanavati Max Hospital.

Responding to a Right to Information query by activist Chetan Kothari, the BMC revealed that in 2021 a total of 17,880 people died due to heart attacks. At least 5,849 died of the cause in 2019. As per BMC data, the total deaths in 2019 were 91,223 out of which heart attacks contributed 6.4 per cent. In 2020 total deaths were 1,08,910, of which heart attacks contributed 5.1 per cent. While in 2021, in six months itself, total deaths reported were 75,165, of which heart attacks contributed 23.8 per cent. Bombay Hospital Cardiologist Dr Anil Sharma said, "Due to fear of getting Covid, people did not come for timely treatment. Stress because of job loss and financial burden might also be reasons behind heart attacks."

The head of the Covid-19 Death Review Committee, Dr Avinash Supe said, "We need to go a little deeper to find whether these patients were positive as then the deaths would be related to Covid." BMC's Executive Health Officer Dr Mangala Gomare said, "We will need to analyse the complete data to arrive at a conclusion."