A 27-year-old man in Kolkata had a miraculous escape after suffering a sudden heart attack while playing football at a local turf ground.
With the help of a swift response from his friends, the doctors at Manipal Hospital, Saltlake, were able to save his life within a critical window of time.
The man, a young sports enthusiast with an active lifestyle, collapsed with severe chest and arm pain during a late-night football match. His friends acted immediately and rushed him to the hospital, where the emergency team admitted him without delay despite heavy rains and challenging conditions.
By 2 am, he was in the Cath Lab, where Dr. Raja Nag, senior interventional cardiologist at the hospital successfully performed a life-saving procedure with his team.
Further investigation revealed that Aman carried a silent genetic risk for cardiovascular disease – his father had died young from a heart attack – something he himself was unaware of until this incident. Despite his fitness levels, this hidden risk almost cost him his life.
Dr Nag explained, “In cases of heart attack, every minute counts. When the patient arrived, we stabilised him immediately in the emergency room and rushed him to the Cath Lab. The angiogram revealed a thrombus in the right coronary artery. We performed thrombosuction to remove the clot and treated the blockage with a drug-coated balloon instead of using a stent. This approach reduced the risk of future complications and ensured excellent long-term outcomes. The patient recovered remarkably well and was discharged within two days.”
Today, the Kolkata man is back to work and is expected to resume football after his follow-up review. Sharing his experience, the patient said, “It was a terrifying moment, one minute I was playing, the next I was on the ground with severe chest pain. My friends acted fast and got me to the hospital, where the doctors immediately ran tests and carried out the procedure. The entire treatment was smooth, and within two days I was back home. I feel perfectly fine now and am eager to return to my normal routine. I’m grateful to the medical team for giving me a second chance at life.”
This case highlights an alarming trend across India: rising heart attacks among young individuals. Cardiologists warn that genetic predisposition, coupled with factors such as unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles, chronic stress, and lack of preventive health check-ups, are fueling this crisis.
