Sudden cardiac death is becoming a primary problem in India. Moreover, it is deeply under-treated problem killing lives of individuals at a considerable younger age (average 62 years) when compared with the West.
According to senior consultant cardiologist and electro-physiologist of CARE Hospitals, the sudden cardiac death is said to be taking four lakh lives annually in the United States, there is no such data on the exact deaths caused due to cardiac arrest in India. A study conducted by his team approximated that sudden cardiac death comprised of 8-10 per cent of complete deaths in the community. The presence of diagnosed or undiagnosed coronary artery disorder was the most common reason for sudden cardiac death, it could also happen in patients who once had a heart attack and have a weak pumping heart.
The method to save a patient’s life when a cardiac arrest happens was to give a shock transmitted by an external defibrillator. As there is high occurrences of coronary artery disease, the problem of sudden cardiac death must be handled aggressively. Every ambulance should be provided with external defibrillators. They must also be made available at public places such as cinema halls, railway and bus stations, apart from making it compulsory for nursing homes and hospitals. (Source: The Hindu)