Of 24 sudden deaths in Hassan (May–June 2025), 14 were under 45. Twenty deaths were cardiac-related; four stemmed from non-cardiac causes like kidney issues, infection, accident, and suspected electrocution
Published Jul 10, 2025 | 8:28 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 10, 2025 | 8:28 PM
Hassan cardiac deaths: Only 10 of 24 confirmed as heart attacks
Synopsis: A government probe into 24 sudden deaths in Karnataka’s Hassan district found no abnormal spike in cardiac fatalities, but noted that 14 victims were under 45. With most deaths linked to cardiac risk factors, the state has launched a district-wide heart health screening drive. The findings were part of a report led by Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences
A state-appointed probe into a series of sudden deaths in Karnataka’s Hassan district has concluded that there is no unusual rise in cardiac fatalities. However, the disproportionately high number of young adults among the deceased has led the government to initiate a district-wide heart health screening programme.
Of the 24 sudden deaths reported in Hassan district between May and June 2025, 14 were individuals under the age of 45, according to a government-appointed investigation led by the Director of Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences.
Four deaths were found to be non-cardiac—linked to kidney disease, a road accident, an infection, and suspected electrocution—while the other 20 were either confirmed or likely due to cardiac causes.
“More than 75 percent of the deceased had one or more cardiac risk factors,” the report notes, including obesity (8), alcohol use (8), diabetes (7), hypertension (6), smoking (6), and family history (3).
Out of the 24 deaths:
4 were confirmed non-cardiac, including one each from a road accident, chronic kidney disease, acute gastroenteritis, and suspected electrocution.
10 were confirmed cardiac deaths, including:
3 with known heart disease (post-bypass surgery, post-angioplasty, dilated cardiomyopathy),
4 confirmed via autopsy, and
3 based on ECGs showing heart attacks.
10 others were classified as “probable cardiac deaths”, based only on symptoms and risk history–without clinical evidence.
Crucially, seven deaths occurred in individuals aged 19 to 43. Some of them collapsed while exercising, others died during sleep, with no documented heart condition prior to their death.
“The presence of sudden deaths in relatively young individuals… cannot be overlooked,” the committee observed, stressing the need for early screening and public health interventions.
The committee found that in many cases:
Victims were brought dead to hospital and
No post-mortems were conducted,
No ECGs or cardiac enzyme tests were done,
Family members often gave inconclusive histories, hampering even verbal autopsy efforts.
“This lack of autopsy data critically hampers the ability to confirm whether these were truly cardiac-related deaths or due to alternative causes,” the report stated. It noted that such diagnostic gaps make retrospective diagnosis speculative at best, especially in rural or under-equipped settings.
Despite public concern, the committee found no statistical spike in heart-related deaths compared to the same period last year. “A comparison with data from May-June 2024 revealed that there had been no significant spike in the number of cardiac deaths in Hassan this year,” When compared to other districts like Bengaluru, Mysuru and Kalaburagi, Hassan’s trend was either “stable or slightly declining,” the report stated.
In 2024, during this period, the report stated there were 315 admissions due to Myocardial Infections of them 19 died leading to 6.03 percent deaths. In 2025 the report said there have been 357 MI admissions and of this 20 people have died with percentage of deaths being 5.60 percent.
In fact, June 2025 saw a 6.91 percent cardiac death rate in Hassan, lower than Mysuru’s 8.92 percent in February, Kalaburgi’s 7.3 percent in March, and roughly similar to Bengaluru’s average of 4 to 5 percent
Ministers from Karnataka speaking to media said there is no need for public panic over the recent rise in heart attack cases in the state. Speaking to media, Health Minister for Karnataka Dinesh Gundu Rao said: “public should not panic. Taking care of one’s health and lifestyles is important. The report clearly states that it is not just Hassan but people from all districts have to take note of their lifestyles. People should change their lifestyle.”
Meanwhile Dr Sharanaprakash R Patil, Minister for Medical Education said, the government is taking appropriate steps in this regard. Speaking in front of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence in Bengaluru, “there is no need for people to panic about heart attacks. The issue is being overly sensationalised in the media, which naturally causes fear among the public. People should instead follow the advice given by doctors and health department officials.”
He urged the public to adopt healthy lifestyle habits including regular, nutritious food intake, exercise, yoga and other positive routines.
Despite the clarity in numbers, the study has significant limitations:
No mandatory autopsies, making it impossible to confirm causes in many cases.
No ECGs or diagnostic tests in several cases.
Verbal autopsies were weak, due to lack of family cooperation.
No consideration of non-traditional causes like vaccine reactions, post-COVID myocarditis, or genetic conditions.
No psychological or occupational stress evaluation.
No control group, gender-based, or socioeconomic analysis.“Establishing a definitive cause of death for each case becomes inherently difficult,” the report admitted.
The committee made forward-looking recommendations:
Mandatory autopsies for all out-of-hospital sudden deaths in healthy individuals.
Equip PHCs and CHCs with ECG machines and emergency heart medications (Ecosprin, Clopidogrel, Atorvastatin, Heparin).
Train college students, teachers, gym instructors in CPR.
Install AEDs in crowded areas like malls and gyms.
Initiate cardiac screening for auto and cab drivers.
Screening for 15 year olds to see if there is a genetic history of cardiac diseases and treat them accordingly.
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
