Young cardiac surgeon collapses to death while examining patients; Doctors blame long working hours

CHENNAI: A promising young cardiac surgeon died of a heart attack while on duty at the hospital. Dr. Gradlin Roy, a consultant cardiac surgeon at Saveetha Medical College, died shockingly. His colleagues tried their best to save his life, but were unsuccessful. Hospital authorities said that the young doctor suffered from a severe heart attack.

Many doctors in the hospital blamed the long working hours and excessive stress for the shocking death of their colleague. They said that the death evoked no shock to them, as young doctors between the ages of thirty and forty are increasingly being subjected to working 12-18 hours a day. Sometimes they have to work more than 24 hours in a shift.

Health experts point to unhealthy lifestyles, irregular diet, lack of exercise, and not getting regular health check-ups as the main reasons for the increase in heart problems. The scare is not just restricted to Tamil Nadu; Kerala too recorded many deaths among youngsters in the recent past. Most of the victims died after collapsing to the ground.