WORLD HEART DAY … September 29
In 1999, the World Heart Federation decided to celebrate WORLD HEART DAY on September 29 every year. What is there to celebrate now in 2024 when only an increase in the heart problems is being noticed ? A myriad modalities of medical and surgical treatment had emerged during the past quarter of a century which could not eliminate heart problems. And, there is an alarming shift of the heart problems to the younger ones. Between 2000 and 2024, 50% of the heart attacks, in India, occured among people under the age of 40 years. While genetics play an important role in such events, 'modern lifestyle' factor seems to have overtaken the DNA ruling. The common "prescription" for many diseases, these days, is " CHANGE YOUR LIFE STYLE."
And, you may be interested to read about the RIGHTS & WRONGS that we had been doing -- click on :
https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2023/01/right-or-wrong.html
That's human's problem. On the other hand, "Human Hearts" are observing a "Grievance Day" on September 29 demanding "less work", as heart is the organ which works non-stop from birth to death without 'rest', taking care of 37 trillion cells in the body. Skin cells are replaced every two weeks; red blood cells are replaced once in 120 days; liver cells are replaced once in 10 months. The heart cells are not ordinarily regenerated. The "International Union of the Human Hearts" has every justification in demanding "less work" !!! What happens if all the human hearts, across the globe, strike work for five minutes !!
Various writings and ads (with commercial colour of discounts) appeared today (September 29) across the globe scaring the public about their heart health. Some of them, purported to be of educative value to the public, may have a hidden agenda of vested interests. And, some normal persons may be converted into patients !
Much of the modern heart treatment may be like cutting some of the branches of an evil tree without tackling the roots – stress, long working hours, sedentary routines, hyper-competition, comparison, aggressive and fast-paced lifestyles, tobacco, alcohol, trans-fats, junk foods, smartphones, and most of the comforts of modern lifestyle – which are the root cause for HEART diseases. As we failed to eleminate heart problems through modern medical treatment, we are now back to the PREVENTIVE mode with the theme for the WORLD HEART DAY of 2024 as "USE HEART FOR ACTION" which means that we have to put our heart and soul to PREVENT heart diseases rather than focussing just on treatment modalities. This is to be done through LIFESTYLE changes -- food, exercise, sleep and peace are some of the important components. To see my 'scribbling' on some of these components, go to :
https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/food-exercise-and-sleep_25.html
HEART ATTACK -- risk assessment
When somebody dies suddenly and unexpectedly, generally, the cause is mentioned as ‘heart attack’. 'Heart Attack' may be due to a block in blood flow inside the heart due to a clot (circulation problem). 'Cardiac Arrest' may be due to an abnormality in the electrical activity inside the heart (electrical problem). Both may be present at the same time. For a very long time, high cholesterol, obesity, high blood pressure, smoking, stress, bad lifestyle, heredity, etcetera have been considered as the likely factors for assessing the risk of heart attacks. However, many who were predicted to be at high risk lived a normal life, and some with a low risk profile died of heart attacks even at a young age.
Young or old, chances for timely intervention, in India are not bright. Because, (1) most of the victims reach the cardiac centre 6 hours after recognition of related. symptoms for various reasons, (2) cardiologists are fewer than 0.45 per 100,000 people, most of whom are in majoor cities, (3) there are only about 2,500 cathlabs, mostly located in cities, (4) most of these facilities are in private sector and expensive. As such, survival for 'heart attack' victims depends upon distance from the facility, affordability, and chance, not on medical science.
The untimely demise of Dr. K. Manikandan, MD, DNB, MRCOG, PDF-FM, a highly respected Fetal Medicine Specialist and Director & Lead Consultant in Fetal Therapy at Pondicherry, is shocking. Dr. Manikandan is widely known for his expertise in fetal medicine and his dedication to advancing maternal and fetal care. Passed away at the age of 46 years on 19-03-2026 on returning from a gym exercise due to "heart attack." RIP.
Date of Birth: 05.01.1980
Date of Demise: 19.03.2026
'CELEBRITY YOUNG HEART DEATHS' :
A 43-year-old Prashant Tamang, international singer, winner of 'Indian Idol 3' and acclaimed for his role as an assassin in 'Paatal Lok 2', died of cardiac arrest on January 11, 2026. A 29-year-old American Chess Grandmaster Naroditsky died of cardiac issues in October 2025. A 42-year-old Rohan Mirchandani, CEO of Greek Yogurt brand Epigamia died of a sudden cardiac arrest on Dec 21, 2024. A 36-year-old Rohan Malhotra, Co-founder of VC firm Good Capital passed away due to cardiac arrest on Oct 3, 2024. A 51-year-old Ambareesh Murty, Co-founder of Pepperfry Furniture company died due to heart attack in Aug 2023.
'Big Boss 13' winner and actor Sidharth Shukla, Kannada actor Puneet Rajkumar, and filmmaker Raj Kaushal are among several young celebrities who have died from cardiac arrest. Most of them had regular health check-ups and preventive care. Then why ? 'Karma' , you said ? Then go to the departments of 'Spiritual Medicine' which may be established soon. Read my 'scribbling' under the title 'Right or Wrong' about these departments (
There are scores of such cases, celebrities and common people. 50% of all heart attacks in Indian men occurred in the under-50-years age group, rich or poor. However, such heart attacks only on celebrities come to the media. Anecdotally, even cardiologists do suffer heart attacks and sudden cardiac death. This highlights the irony -- regular check-ups and expertise doesn't grant immunity. Stress, long hours, and possible denial ("it won't happen to me") can contribute. And, genetics and individual constituency play an important role.
So, people are lining up for a CARDIAC CT SCAN (CT coronary angiography) which is priced around 15,000 rupees. In some centres, it's like an 'Over The Counter' product -- ask for it, they will do it. Is it right or wrong to get it done without a doctor's advice ? Some say it's right to know the status. Some warn about the radiation during the procedure and the bad of a needless investigation and an unnecessary intervention. Some over-informed patients diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation are asking for 'Catheter Ablation' -- 'Radiofrequency' (RF) and 'Cryoablation' !
Recently two simple imaging techniques have been developed to assess the risk better -- 1. 'Coronary Calcium Scoring' (CT scan measurement of calcium buildup in heart blood vessels); 2. 'Ultrasound Plaque Imaging' of the blood vessels in the neck and groin (measuring cholesterol deposits in the blood vessels). It remains to be seen if these two new assessments improve our predictions.
We seem to be STRESSING ourselves too much by complicating everything connected with HEART. See where we went to from the simple CHOLESTEROL : 'Cholesterol' has long been considered the cornerstone of 'heart attack' risk assessment and has been an indicator for atherosclerosis -- the process of plaque build up that clogs arteries. People with 'normal' cholesterol also died of 'heart attacks'. Then came various types of cholesterols -- good and bad -- LDL, HDL, Triglyceride, etc. Still people died, unexpectedly. Then, researchers said that ratios of the cholesterols are more indicative of the risk -- T.Cho / HDL; TGL / HDL; LDL / HDL. When all these were also 'normal', still, people died of unexpected 'heart attacks'.
Science has ingenious ways of explaining. It said "Just lipid profile is not enough. You need tests that can detect INFLAMMATION." Then it came up with 'CRP' and 'hs-CRP' (high-sensitivity CRP). "hs-CRP" is said to detect hidden INFLAMMATION in blood vessels, which directly contributes to atherosclerosis and rupture of the plaque in the heart. Then, science went a step further and suggested testing for the markers like Lipoprotein(a) or Lp(a) which is a genetic form of bad cholesterol, and Homocysteine (an aminoacid) which can possibly be increased by taking B6, B12 & folic acid. Statins like Resuvastatin are said to lower LDL and 'hs-CRP'. Yet, there is an increase in 'heart attacks', in younger people too. Furthermore, advanced tests like Myeloperoxidase (MPO) and Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) are also suggested by experts to be done as markers of oxidative stress and inflammation. TMAO is related to gut health which is associated with 'heart risks'. Finally, when a statin or sometthing else is prescribed, the 'internet-educated' patient comes back and asks : "Doctor, should I risk all these side-effects of the prescribed drugs to reduce the probable risk of cholesterols ?"
Knowing and getting all these tests done is itself a great stress on the heart (and pocket too) !!! That is science and evidence-based medicine. Perhaps, economic compulsions of "science & medical practice" need all these tests -- more tests mean more money ! God, please help !
INCLISIRAN injection to bring down LDL cholesterol
As though these expenses are not enough, now 'Gene Therapy' injections have come into practice to lower LDL cholesterol, at the rate of Rs. 1.2 lakh per injection ! On January 19, 2021, a toddler from Nashik, Maharashtra received the first injection of a new GENE THERAPY (Zolgensma) that cost a huge amount of 16 crores of rupees for an 'incurable', rare genetic disease called 'Spinal Muscular Atrophy'. Another example of 'GENE THERAPY' is about lowering high LDL cholesterol levels by INCLISIRAN which is available in India. Many more may be in the pipeline. (Inclisiran injection (like Sybrava, Crenzlo, Izirize) costs around ₹85,000 to ₹1.2 Lakh(approx. $1000-$1400USD) per dose in India, but Novartis offers financing via Pine Labs, breaking it down to ₹15,000-₹16,000 monthly EMIs for this expensive heart medicine, making it accessible for the initial loading doses (3 months apart) and subsequent semi-annual doses.)
LDL cholesterol is removed from the body by LDL receptors in the liver cells. Silencing the gene that stops LDL receptor degradation with siRNA looks like the remedy. Researchers recently inserted a siRNA piggybacked on a molecule calledGaINAc , which the liver cells gobbled up quickly. Once inside the liver cell, the siRNA bid adieu to the. GaINAc and started doing its job. So, all this costs Rs. 1.2 lakh per injection !!!
People are sick & tired of reading prreventive measures.
" LIFESTYLE without advisories" -- Right or Wrong ?
There are many aged and healthy persons in our villages. Many of them say "We ate whatever was available in our farm and at home; worked in our fields; slept sometime after sunset and woke up sometime before sunrise; we had no timepieces and no electricity; we didn't go to hospitals." They spent a very long "unscripted lifestyle" -- is it RIGHT or WRONG ?
"LIFESTYLE regulated by advisories". -- Right or Wrong ?
There is an article titled "I ran 5 km every day, and still got 2 stents ... " in The Times of India of October 15, 2025 :
Science could not say when and where a "heart attack" occurs, as in the case of the former Kenyan Prime Minister.
‘Modernity’ in lifestyle brought in its wake all the adverse factors, bad food, bad habits, enormous stress & ecological imbalance (destruction of Nature). They are all associated with money, materialism, competition, comparison, ego, hubris, hegemony, selfishness, greed, arrogance, anger, miserliness, manipulability, vanity, vengeance, etc.
'MODERNITY' may be the root cause for the increase in heart problems and even the emergence of COVID. Modern folk may have to mend the ways to prevent emergence of more heart problems and new viruses.
Cell phones arrived, we forgot writing letters;
Automobiles arrived, we forgot walking;
Computers arrived, we forgot spellings;
Calculators arrived, we forgot mathematics;
Modern jobs arrived, we forgot families;
TVs arrived, we forgot cinema theatres;
Digital games arrived, we forgot playgrounds;
Modern pharma arrived, we forgot grannies’ remedies;
Speciality hospitals arrived, we forgot ‘MBBS clinics’;
Super-specialists arrived, we forgot family doctors;
Nuclear families arrived, we forgot relationships;
Junk food arrived, we forgot healthy meals;
Food courts arrived, we forgot cooking;
Internet has arrived, we forgot libraries & teachers;
HEART specialists arrived, we forgot HEARTY meals !
COVID has arrived, we forgot everything else !
( I too forgot everything else, and authored 28 articles in 30 months on COVID, during the COVID pandemic, which were published in a monthly medical journal, The Antiseptic – a WORLD RECORD of sorts in medical journalism !!!)
And, now, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) is coming to make us forget about our BRAINS !
Science is a huge conundrum. Confusing. 'STRESS KILLS', they say. While on the HEART MATTER, let us ask : " Do the CARDIOLOGISTS have more STRESS and more HEART. ATTACKS ?
Do the CARDIOLOGISTS have more stress and have more HEART ATTACKS ?
As per the available information in April 2026, yes, cardiologists often experience significant stress due to the high-stakes nature of their work (managing acute heart attacks, performing procedures like angioplasties, dealing with life-or-death decisions, long/irregular hours, and emotional toll from patient outcomes). However, they do not clearly have substantially more heart attacks than other physicians or the general population—evidence is mixed or limited, and in some cases, physicians overall (including cardiologists) show lower cardiovascular event rates thanks to better knowledge, access to care, and healthier behaviors in certain areas.
Stress and Burnout in Cardiology
Cardiology ranks as a stressful specialty, but it is not the highest for burnout compared to others like emergency medicine, internal medicine, or surgery. Surveys show:
- Around 25–44% of cardiologists report burnout symptoms (emotional exhaustion, stress, or feeling drained), with nearly half often feeling stressed.
- Mid-career cardiologists (roughly 8–21 years in practice) tend to have the highest rates.
- Women in cardiology sometimes report higher stress or mental health challenges (e.g., discrimination, work-life imbalance).
- Factors include work overload, on-call duties, high patient acuity, administrative burdens, and the COVID-19 pandemic's added strain.
Burnout in cardiology is comparable to or slightly lower than the average across all physicians in some studies, and protective factors (like professional satisfaction from saving lives or intellectual challenge which produce "Happy Hormones" that are protective in nature) may play a role. Still, chronic stress is a known contributor to cardiovascular risk in anyone—it can raise blood pressure, promote inflammation, and worsen behaviors like poor sleep or diet.
Heart Attacks and Cardiovascular Risk Among Cardiologists/Physicians
Direct data specifically on heart attack rates in cardiologists is scarce—no large studies conclusively show they suffer more myocardial infarctions than peers. Here's what we know:
- Physicians overall (including cardiologists) often have lower rates of major cardiovascular events and traditional risk factors (e.g., smoking, obesity) compared to the general population, likely due to higher health literacy, earlier screening, and better management of conditions like hypertension. One large Canadian study found physicians had fewer cardiac events despite high-stress jobs.
- However, doctors as a group face elevated risks for cardiovascular disease in some surveys, possibly linked to irregular hours, sedentary work, or chronic stress. One study of physicians noted higher self-reported CVD prevalence tied to workplace stressors.
- Anecdotally, cardiologists do suffer heart attacks and sudden cardiac death (there are publicised cases of prominent cardiologists dying from them). This highlights the irony: expertise doesn't grant immunity. Stress, long hours, and possible denial ("it won't happen to me") can contribute.
- General evidence links chronic occupational stress (high demands, low control) to roughly doubled risk of heart attacks or cardiovascular death in various professions—not unique to cardiology.
- In one report from Egyptian physicians, heart attacks/strokes were noted as more common in high-stress fields like anesthesiology, surgery, and cardiology.
Cardiologists' deep knowledge of heart disease likely helps them mitigate personal risks (e.g., aggressive statin use, lifestyle awareness), but the job's intensity can still take a toll.
Bottom Line
- More stress? Often yes—cardiology involves intense, unpredictable work with heavy responsibility. Burnout affects a significant minority, though not the worst among medical specialties.
- More heart attacks? No strong evidence they have markedly higher rates than other doctors. Physicians may even fare better than the average person overall, but individual cases and stress-related risks exist. The "ironic" stories of cardiologists having heart events underscore that prevention matters for everyone, experts included.
If you're a cardiologist (or in a high-stress field), prioritize sleep, exercise, social support, and mental health check-ins—small steps reduce cumulative risk. Heart disease remains the leading global killer, but many factors (hypertension, cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, obesity, and yes, chronic stress) are modifiable. Consult your own doctor for personalised advice.
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We are having this plant which goes by the name
BLEEDING HEART !!!
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