Jaspal Rana ignored heart attack for 3 days, missed golden hour: Cardiologists explain cost of ignoring warning signs
India’s archery legend Jaspal Ranawho had a remarkable Commonwealth Games career and coached Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker, died recently at the age of 49. The athlete died after a ruptured heart.
According to reports, Jaspal was admitted to the hospital in a critical condition after he “carried an infection”. heart attack“For at least three days. He had been traveling and continued to experience chest pain before arriving at hospital, where, although doctors stabilized his condition, he later suffered a fatal rupture of the heart.
Jaspal Rana’s death not only raised concern about the high rate of cardiac deaths in middle age in India, but also the risks of delaying heart attack treatment and missing the golden hour. To understand the importance of early intervention in the event of a heart attack, HT Lifestyle spoke to two Cardiologists.
Golden hour
Highlighting the importance of not ignoring heart-related signs, Dr Naresh Munot, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, Global Medical Researcher, USA, Apollo Hospitals, Pune said, “Often people tend to ignore heart-related symptoms as unimportant. People think it is related to acidity, fatigue, or stress. Sometimes, if the pain is mild, people consider it a muscle strain.
He added: “Cardiologists warn that even minor symptoms may indicate an underlying cardiac emergency. People increase the risk of serious complications if they delay medical evaluation, as this allows damage to the heart muscle to develop.”
In cardiology, the term golden hour refers to the first 60 to 90 minutes after symptoms of a heart attack appear. According to Dr Paras Lalwani, Cardiovascular Surgeon, HCG Hospitals, Rajkot, this is the critical period during which immediate treatment can restore blood flow and significantly reduce the damage to the heart.
He emphasizes that timely interventions, such as clot-dissolving drugs or angioplasty with stent placement, can save a large portion of the heart muscle if performed early.
However, he warns, “After three to six hours, damage to the heart muscle accelerates rapidly, and after 12 hours, much of the injury is irreversible. Patients who delay seeking medical care for several days often arrive after the heart attack has already reached its end. 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.”
Why can timely intervention significantly improve survival and recovery outcomes?
Emphasizing the importance of timely intervention and how it can significantly improve survival and recovery outcomes, Dr. Munot said: “Emergency procedures such as angioplasty and some clot-busting medications can reopen blocked arteries. Such interventions limit the damage caused by myocardial injury and reduce the number of complications. It can also improve survival rates and quality of life.
Dr. Lalwani also emphasizes that recognizing the symptoms of a heart attack early can save lives. He points out that, contrary to popular belief, heart attacks don’t always appear as the classic “chest fist.”
Furthermore, Dr. Lalwani adds, women, older adults, and people with diabetes often experience atypical symptoms, including shortness of breath, jaw, neck, or back pain, indigestion-like discomfort, unusual fatigue, nausea, or dizziness.
So, what are the main warning signs to keep in mind? Dr. Lalwani and Dr. Munot share:
- Chest pain
- Feeling of pressure in the chest
- narrow
- Discomfort
- weight
- Pain in the arms, neck, jaw, shoulders, or back
- shortness of breath
- nausea
- Cold sweats
- dizziness
- Unexplained fatigue
- Vertigo
If any of these symptoms last more than five minutes, treat it as a medical emergency. Finally, Dr. Lalwani warns, “The guiding principle in cardiology is simple: ‘Time is muscle.’ If you suspect you’re having a heart attack, call emergency medical services immediately, avoid driving yourself to the hospital, and don’t wait to see if your symptoms improve. If you don’t have an allergy and your doctor doesn’t advise you otherwise, chewing 325 mg of aspirin while waiting for medical help may help reduce clot formation.”
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician with any questions about a medical condition.
