‘Tobacco, steroids, excessive screen time caused spike in heart attacks’: Karnataka Health Minister

The Karnataka government highlighted tobacco use, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, steroids use and screen time as key contributors to cardiac issues.

Amid growing concern over a surge in heart attack-related deaths in Karnataka’s Hassan district, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has dismissed claims linking the COVID-19 vaccine to the rise, instead pointing to lifestyle factors as primary culprits, news agency ANI reported.

Karnataka has seen a recent uptick in heart attack-related deaths, especially in districts like Hassan, where 22 have died in just 40 days. (Representational)

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Speaking in Bengaluru on Monday after reviewing an expert committee’s findings, Rao clarified that the increase in sudden cardiac deaths is not directly tied to COVID-19 vaccination. The data shows no clear connection between the vaccine and these fatalities, he said, referencing a comprehensive study conducted by a panel led by Dr Ravindranath.

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The investigation, which analysed 253 patients at Jayadeva Hospital, found that nearly all had been vaccinated, yet the experts could not establish a direct correlation between the vaccine and the onset of heart conditions.

Instead, the report highlighted more pressing risk factors behind the alarming uptick in cardiac cases — chiefly tobacco use, which was found in over half the cases studied. The minister also pointed to rising rates of diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and excessive steroid use, which have significantly increased cardiac vulnerability.

READ | Sudden heart-attack related deaths in Karnataka's Hassan touch 22, most victims under 45

Another major contributor flagged by the committee is excessive screen time. The report links prolonged use of mobile phones and computers to sedentary habits and stress, both known contributors to cardiovascular problems.

The issue is especially pressing in districts like Hassan, where 22 heart attack-related deaths have occurred in just 40 days, including several victims as young as 19. The majority were under 45, a pattern that has alarmed health professionals.

In response, the government has rolled out several measures aimed at prevention and early detection:

1. All sudden deaths outside hospitals will now be classified as notifiable incidents, requiring mandatory post-mortem examinations.
2. A proposal is in place for routine heart screenings for all 15-year-old school students, aiming to catch early signs of cardiac risk.
3. CPR training programs will be launched for the general public.
4. AED machines will be installed at key public locations such as bus stations and railway platforms.
5. The Puneeth Rajkumar Hriday Jyoti Yojana, which provides emergency heart care, will be expanded to taluk-level hospitals.
6. The Education Department has also been asked to include modules on non-communicable diseases and heart health in school curriculums.
7. Government and contract employees will undergo regular health checks.
8. The state is also encouraging private employers to conduct annual screenings for their workforce.

While COVID-19 may have had lingering cardiovascular effects in some cases, especially within a year of infection, the report suggests these impacts diminish significantly after three years.

(With inputs from ANI)