The MTA Speaks: Modern lifestyle or Covid Vaccine? Reasons behind heart attacks; In-depth analysis here

Every other day we repeatedly heard that some healthy-looking young person suddenly collapsed and died due to a heart attack. To know the reason behind it, read this analysis by veteran journalist Manoj Tibrewal Aakash.

New Delhi: Rapid increase in the incidence of sudden heart attacks and deaths due to cardiac arrest among young and middle-aged people created stir. There was a time when heart diseases were considered a disease of elderly, but now people in the age group of 18 to 45 are also falling prey to it in large numbers. This change is not only a challenge for medical science, but also raises questions about society, policies and individual lifestyle.

Since Covid-19 pandemic, we have repeatedly heard that some healthy-looking young person suddenly collapsed and died while working out in gym, playing cricket, dancing on the wedding stage or even while working on a computer in the office. Recently, a shocking figure came to light in Hassan district of Karnataka — 22 people died of heart attack within 40 days. On June 30 itself, 4 people lost their lives. Most of them were between 19 and 45 years of age. Similarly, such incidents are continuously coming to light from Punjab, Maharashtra, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan.

Senior journalist Manoj Tibrewal Aakash did a deep analysis on this issue in his show 'The MTA Speaks'. Such incidents are being recorded not only in India but also in other countries such as America, Britain, Japan and South Korea. According to the 2023 report of the US Center for Disease Control (CDC), cases of cardiac arrest among 18-39 years increased by 12% in 2022 as compared to 2020. The National Health Service (NHS) in Britain also issued a warning in 2022 that the increasing cases of heart attack among the youth are like a "potential post-pandemic cardiac time bomb".

The horror of this trend in India is even more because the population of youth is high here. According to the 'State of India Heart 2023' report, 30% of heart attack cases in India are now occurring in people under the age of 40. This figure was only 12% 10 years ago. According to experts, this is not just the effect of the pandemic, but is also a direct result of our changing lifestyle and psychological stress.

Connection With Covid Vaccine

After the incidents in Karnataka, a new debate started after the statement given by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah whether these incidents have any connection with the Covid vaccine? This question was already in the minds of many people and now it has become a part of public discourse. In several social media posts, the vaccine was blamed for these deaths without any scientific evidence. But these claims have not been confirmed by any concrete scientific study so far.

Study By AIIMS And ICMR

The detailed study jointly conducted by AIIMS and ICMR plays a decisive role in this entire discussion. This study, conducted in 47 major hospitals of the country between May and August 2023, included people who were previously completely healthy and died suddenly between October 2021 and March 2023. After data analysis of more than 1500 cases, the conclusion was that no direct causal relationship was found between the Kovid vaccine and heart attack.

Side Effects Of Vaccine

Some patients did experience mild temporary inflammation or changes in heart rate after the vaccine, but it was cured with normal medicines. No direct link to serious cardiac event or death was scientifically proven. The Union Health Ministry also publicly stated on the basis of this study that the Kovid vaccine is completely safe and has no connection with heart attack.

It is important to understand that the inflammation that persists in the body after Covid infection, not due to the vaccine - especially in the endothelial cells (which are in the inner layer of the veins) - sometimes affects the heart and blood vessels. That is why doctors had advised to exercise restraint in physical activities for a few weeks even after recovering from Covid. But blaming the vaccine, even though it saved the lives of millions of people, is not only scientifically wrong but also socially dangerous.

Reasons Of Increasing Heart Attack

The answer to this question is hidden in many layers.

• First - deterioration in lifestyle. Irregular eating habits, fast food habits, excessive consumption of refined sugar and trans fat, lack of physical labor and lack of sleep.
• Second - stress and mental pressure. After the pandemic, job crisis, economic pressure, uncertainty and constant use of social media have put an unusual burden on the minds of the youth, which directly affects heart health.
• Third reason is excess in the name of fitness. Heavy weight lifting in the gym without medical guidance, indiscriminate use of steroids or supplements, cardio without warm-up or suddenly doing high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Many times, youth think that building muscles is fitness, whereas real fitness means the health of heart, lungs and brain.
• Fourth reason – digital work culture and screen time. Sticking to laptop, mobile and TV all day, not taking breaks and not doing physical activity. Also, the dopamine-driven fast-content cycle of social media is causing permanent stress on the brain.
• Fifth and most worrying reason is – ignoring pre-existing conditions. Such as diabetes, high BP, fatty liver, high cholesterol etc. A large population in India suffers from these diseases but they either do not get tested or ignore it. The result – heart attack comes suddenly.

Major Questions

So the question should not be “Is the vaccine causing heart attack?” but the question should be have you got yourself checked recently? Is your lifestyle heart-friendly? Are you stressed? Do you get enough sleep? Are you consuming too much caffeine or energy drinks?

Experts says that to deal with this crisis, work has to be done at three levels - public awareness, regular health checkups and lifestyle management.

Health education has to be made a part of the syllabus from the school level itself. Gyms need to be regulated so that there is proper training and medical guidance. Companies should encourage work-life balance.

At the individual level, we have to pay attention to our habits. Morning walks, meditation, yoga, adequate water, homemade fresh food, seven hours of sleep and periodic blood tests, ECG, and blood pressure checks are no longer options but a necessity.

This is not the time to panic over rumors, but to be aware and make changes in lifestyle. Heart attack is not a coincidence, but a result of our everyday habits.