5 heart attacks within 3 hours

These Anna supporters have been admitted to various city hospitals and are said to be out of danger. Doctors attribute their condition to stress, congestion and noise pollution

5 heart attacks within 3 hours

These Anna supporters have been admitted to various city hospitals and are said to be out of danger. Doctors attribute their condition to stress, congestion and noise pollution

Day nine at Ramlila Maidan witnessed five people suffering heart attacks within a short span of three hours. The India Against Corruption medical camp has registered nine cases of heart attacks in till now.u00a0 Dr. Sanjeev Chhiber, who is a senior cancer specialist and is leading the team of doctors at the camp said, "Five patients had suffered heart attacks in Ramlila Maidan today and we treated them immediately and subsequently sent them to LNJP Hospital for further care."u00a0

Effects of 'fast' life: Doctors checking patients at the medical camp at
the Capital's Ramlila Maidan where Anna Hazare's protest is in progress.
Pic/Subhash Barolia

While elaborating on the reasons behind the sudden rise in heart attack cases on a single day, Dr. Chhiber said that it was because the patients had probably been suffering from heart disease prior to the protests. Coupled with this, the strain of ongoing protest and irregular eating habits due to agitations and adverse weather conditions also might have been the cause of the heart attacks, he added.

Ill at ease: Doctors treating an Anna Hazare supporter at the medical
camp at Ramlila Ground. file Pic

Repercussions
All the patients are in the age group of 38-60 years.u00a0At Ramlila Ground, eight ambulances are on-call in case of emergencies. Dr. Chhiber said, "We are completely prepared to tackle all extreme cases. Our team of eight ambulances includes CATS and PCR ambulances. We have successfully dealt with every case." Dr. Chhiber went on to compliment the Delhi Police Ambulance team saying that they were highly competent and that their professionalism was a reason why no tragedies took place.

While elaborating on the details of the immediate treatment administered to the patients who suffered heart attacks Dr. Chhiber said that the way in which a critical patient is treated in the first hour determines whether he/she lives or dies. This hour is known as the 'Golden Hour'. He said, "We followed the Golden Hour rule and immediately medicated the heart attack patients as soon as they arrived here. After giving the required medication, we sent them straight to the hospital in an ambulance."

Notably, when patients suffer heart attacks, doctors ask them to chew a Disprin tablet at the first. Thereafter, Sorbitrate Sublingual is given to him/her. While the patient is rushed to hospital, he/she is given oxygen inside the ambulance.

'Take care'
Dr. SK Gupta, heart specialist with Max Hospital said, "There are many reasons that might have caused the heart attacks at the Ramlila Maidan. The huge crowds and over excitement caused by the mass movement must have led to the heart attacks."u00a0

"The heat and exhaustion because of summer sun and constant walking could have lead to dehydration, which lead to heart attacks. Patients should take shelter in the tents and keep themselves hydrated to avoid such situations," said Dr. Satsangi, heart specialist from GB Pant Hospital.

Safety first
Doctors sound a note of caution in light of the large protests and the heart related complications taking place as a result. It is their advice that elderly people and those with a history of heart disease should get checked up before taking part in the protests. The list of check-ups include: 1. Treadmill Testsu00a0 2. Stress Thallium Test 3. Normal ECG Test 4. Coronary Angiography Test etc. "The overflowing of emotions and the resulting excessive excitement can lead to the heart working over time. This leads to heart attacks and heart patients should protest within limits to prevent such things," Dr. Satsangi said.

Give and take
Dr. Chhiber said that in the coming days the India Against Corruption team will begin a blood donation camp wherein interested volunteers will be sent LNJP Hospital for the same. He said, "Donation of blood is not only a voluntary giving of one's life to another but also a service to the nation. The present agitation is for the welfare of India and the blood donation camp plays an important part in this."