Chennai Cardiac Surgeon, 39, Suffers Heart Attack During Rounds At Hospital, Dies

A 39-year-old cardiac surgeon collapsed after a heart attack and died during rounds at a hospital in Chennai.

Dr Gradlin Roy, a consultant cardiac surgeon at Saveetha Medical College, collapsed in the hospital on Wednesday. 

Dr. Sudhir Kumar, a Hyderabad-based neurologist, said Dr Roy's colleagues tried everything to save him, but could not.

"Colleagues fought valiantly - CPR, urgent angioplasty with stenting, intra-aortic balloon pump, even ECMO. But nothing could reverse the damage from a massive cardiac arrest due to a 100% left main artery blockage," Dr Kumar wrote on X. 

The doctor pointed out that Dr Roy's death is not an isolated incident and there is a disturbing trend of young doctors in their 30s and 40s suffering from sudden cardiac events. 

Experts said prolonged working hours is one of the key reasons for such deaths. Doctors often work 12-18 hours a day, sometimes stretching for more than 24 hours in a single shift. 

There is also intense stress. The constant pressure of life-or-death decisions, high patient expectations, and medico-legal concerns takes a toll.

The other reasons cited are unhealthy lifestyles, irregular meals, lack of physical exercise, and neglected health check-ups. 

The mental strain of the profession, including burnout, depression, and anxiety, is also often ignored.

Dr Roy is survived by his wife and a young son.