A young man finishes a workout and suddenly collapses. A marathon runner falls just before the finish line. Someone in their early 30s complains of slight discomfort and never makes it to the hospital. These incidents have become disturbingly familiar in India.It has left many people asking the same question: Why are seemingly healthy young people dying of heart attacks?According to renowned cardiac surgeon Dr Devi Shetty, the answer is far more complicated than simply blaming modern lifestyles. Speaking in an interview with ANI, he pointed out that many heart attacks are not actually “sudden.” They are simply silent.One of the most striking observations he shared was this:“Nearly 50 percent of the patients with blockage in the coronary arteries have no symptoms. Nearly 50 percent develop a heart attack without any previous chest pain, especially diabetics.”That single statement changes the way heart disease should be viewed. For many people, the body does not always send a warning before disaster strikes.
The biggest myth: Feeling healthy does not always mean having a healthy heart
Most people judge their health by how they feel.If there is no chest pain, no breathlessness and enough energy to work, exercise or travel, they assume everything is fine. Unfortunately, heart disease doesn’t always follow those rules.Dr Shetty explained that many people with severe blockage in their heart arteries may feel completely normal.“How fit people feel has nothing to do with how fit they actually are. You can have a very serious heart problem and still not know it.”This is particularly concerning because coronary artery disease develops slowly over several years. Fatty deposits gradually narrow the arteries that supply blood to the heart. Until the blockage becomes severe or suddenly ruptures, many people continue living normally without any obvious symptoms.That is why some individuals collapse during a run or while exercising. The exercise itself may not be the cause. Instead, it may simply expose a heart problem that had been silently progressing for years.
Why diabetes makes silent heart attacks even more dangerous
India is home to one of the world’s largest populations of people living with diabetes.Dr Shetty believes this is one of the biggest reasons silent heart attacks are so common.According to him, diabetes can reduce pain sensation, meaning that the classic warning sign, crushing chest pain, may never appear.Instead, a person may experience only unusual tiredness, sweating, mild discomfort, nausea or slight breathlessness. Some may ignore these symptoms completely because they seem too ordinary.This is well recognised in medical research. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), USA, explains that people with diabetes are more likely to experience “silent” heart attacks because nerve damage can affect pain perception.That makes regular heart screening even more important for people with diabetes.
Are heart attacks actually increasing, or are we simply noticing them more?
Many people believe heart attacks among young Indians have exploded in recent years.Dr Shetty offered a slightly different perspective.“Heart attacks were always happening. Awareness is much better now compared to the past. There is a lot more discussion today, so it feels like the numbers have increased.”His point is worth considering carefully.Today, social media spreads videos of sudden collapses within minutes. News travels faster than ever before. Every tragic incident becomes part of a national conversation.That does not necessarily mean every increase is due to a completely new phenomenon. Greater awareness also means more reporting, more diagnosis and more public discussion.At the same time, experts agree that India continues to face a heavy burden of cardiovascular disease because several major risk factors, including diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, remain widespread.
The health checks Dr Shetty believes could prevent many tragedies
Perhaps the strongest message from the interview was not about fear, it was about prevention.Dr Shetty argued that many sudden cardiac deaths could potentially be avoided if underlying heart disease were detected before symptoms appeared.He said a basic evaluation may include:
- Blood tests
- Electrocardiogram (ECG)
- Echocardiogram
- Cardiac CT scan, when recommended by a doctor
According to him, people often avoid doctors until they develop symptoms, but that may be too late.He also referred to recommendations from the Cardiological Society of India, saying:
- Every Indian should know their cholesterol level from around the late teenage years.
- Men between 35 and 40 years should undergo routine heart evaluation, including appropriate imaging when advised.
- Anyone with a family history of heart disease should begin screening earlier, around 30 years of age.
- People with longstanding diabetes should undergo heart evaluation even earlier based on medical advice.
His larger message was simple: “Everyone should know their numbers, blood pressure, cholesterol and heart health.”Routine screening should always be discussed with a qualified physician because the right tests depend on age, symptoms, family history and individual risk factors.
Why athletes and gym-goers are not automatically protected
One of the most surprising points Dr Shetty made involved exercise. Many assume that anyone who runs marathons or regularly goes to the gym is naturally protected from heart disease.But physical fitness alone cannot rule out hidden structural heart disease or blocked arteries.Dr. Shetty cited data discussed by FIFA regarding cardiac events among professional footballers to stress that even elite athletes undergo extensive heart screening because serious heart conditions can remain undetected.His advice was particularly relevant for young people planning to participate in intense endurance sports.Before taking part in competitive marathons, extreme sports or high-intensity training, a proper medical evaluation can identify problems that may otherwise go unnoticed.The message is not to avoid exercise. Regular physical activity remains one of the best ways to reduce cardiovascular risk. Instead, the lesson is that exercise should be paired with appropriate medical screening when individual risk factors are present.