New Delhi: The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) releases data suggesting there has been a steep surge in deaths out of heart attacks in India in the last three years, and the experts are suggesting that it is due to the lingering impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, India Today reports.
As per the NCRB data, the increase in heart attacks was 12.5% in 2022 alone. There were 32,457 deaths that year, which is a severe increase from 23,413 deaths the year before.
The NCRB's data on 'Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India' also shows that there were 56,450 sudden deaths in 2022, a 10.1 per cent increase from the year before, which recorded 50,739 deaths.
According to NCRB, sudden death is defined as an "unexpected death that is instantaneous or occurs within minutes from any cause other than violence (for example, heart attack, brain haemorrhage, etc.)."
Regarding heart attacks, the numbers lowered in 2020 to 28,579, but crept steeply in 2021 and 2022 with 28,413 and 32,457, respectively.
Experts suggest that the current trend of increased heart attacks must not be ignored and must be addressed with increased awareness, preventive measures and regular health check-ups, reports India Today.
They say that people must exercise regularly, focusing on aerobic exercises but little weight training while reducing alcohol and smoking and adding a nutritious diet.
They further say that concerted efforts must be put into promoting heart-healthy lifestyles along with timely medical intervention to save lives.