To understand the importance of early intervention in a heart attack, HT Lifestyle spoke with two cardiologists.
In cardiology, the term golden hour refers to the first 60 to 90 minutes after the onset of heart attack symptoms.
However, he cautions, “After three to six hours, heart muscle damage accelerates rapidly, and beyond 12 hours, much of the injury becomes irreversible.
Patients who delay seeking medical attention for days often arrive after the heart attack has already run its course.
Missing the golden hour dramatically increases the risk of long-term disability and death.”Heart attacks do not always present as the classic ‘clutching the chest.’ (Pexels)
India’s shooting legend Jaspal Rana, who had a glorious run at the Commonwealth Games and coached Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker, recently died at the age of 49. The athlete passed away following a cardiac rupture. Jaspal Rana, Asian Games gold medallist and Indian shooting coach, passed away at the age of 49. According to reports, Jaspal was admitted to a hospital in a critical condition after he ‘carried a heart attack’ for at least three days. He had been travelling and continued to feel chest pain before arriving at the hospital, where, though the doctors stabilised his condition, he later suffered a fatal heart rupture. Jaspal Rana's demise has not only sparked a concern over the rising middle-aged cardiac deaths in India but also the risks of delayed heart attack treatment and missing the golden hour. To understand the importance of early intervention in a heart attack, HT Lifestyle spoke with two cardiologists.
Jaspal was admitted to a hospital in a critical condition after he ‘carried a heart attack’ for at least three days. (PTI)
The golden hour Highlighting the importance of not ignoring heart-related signs, Dr Naresh Munot, consultant interventional cardiologist, global physician scholar, USA, Apollo Hospital, Pune, shared, “A lot of times people tend to dismiss the heart-related symptoms as not important. People think that it is related to acidity, exhaustion, or stress. Sometimes, if the pain is mild, people even dismiss it as a muscle strain.” “Cardiologists are cautioning that even minor symptoms may indicate an underlying cardiac emergency. People increase the risk of serious complications if they delay a medical evaluation, since this allows damage to the heart muscle to progress,” he added. In cardiology, the term golden hour refers to the first 60 to 90 minutes after the onset of heart attack symptoms. According to Dr Paras Lalwani, cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon, HCG Hospitals, Rajkot, this is the critical period during which prompt treatment can restore blood flow and significantly limit damage to the heart. He stresses that timely interventions, such as clot-dissolving medications or angioplasty with stent placement, can save much of the heart muscle if performed early. However, he cautions, “After three to six hours, heart muscle damage accelerates rapidly, and beyond 12 hours, much of the injury becomes irreversible. Patients who delay seeking medical attention for days often arrive after the heart attack has already run its course. While doctors can still manage complications, they cannot revive dead heart tissue. Missing the golden hour dramatically increases the risk of long-term disability and death.”
Heart attacks do not always present as the classic ‘clutching the chest.’ (Pexels)
