Tragic! Chennai cardiac surgeon dies after heart attack during hospital rounds

Dr Gradlin Roy, who specialised in treating patients with complex heart conditions, suddenly collapsed during hospital rounds on Wednesday. Despite immediate and extensive resuscitation efforts by his colleagues, he could not be revived.

How did doctors try to save him?

According to Hyderabad-based neurologist Dr Sudhir Kumar, Dr Gradlin Roy’s colleagues deployed every possible life-saving intervention.

“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 social media platform X.

Dr Gradlin Roy leaves behind his wife and a young son.

Are young doctors increasingly at risk of heart attacks?

Medical experts note that Dr Gradlin Roy’s death due to cardiac arrest is not an isolated incident. A growing number of young doctors in their 30s and 40s are suffering sudden cardiac events, raising concerns about the hidden toll of the profession.

Prolonged working hours – often ranging from 12 to 18 hours, with shifts sometimes extending beyond 24 hours – are a significant risk factor. The stress of life-or-death decisions, patient expectations, and medico-legal pressures compounds the strain.

What role do lifestyle factors play?

In addition to professional pressures, doctors are often unable to prioritise their own health. Irregular meals, inadequate sleep, lack of physical activity, and delayed health check-ups contribute to cardiac risk. Mental health challenges such as burnout, depression, and anxiety further add to the burden.

Malayalam actor Rajesh Keshav in ICU after cardiac arrest

Malayalam actor Rajesh Keshav is in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) after suffering a cardiac arrest on August 24. The 47-year-old actor, known for notable roles in various films and TV shows, was admitted to the hospital on Sunday night after collapsing at a city hotel.

Rajesh Keshav was first taken to the Emergency Department and successfully revived through immediate resuscitation, the hospital said in a statement. Keshav was then shifted to the Cath Lab, where an emergency angioplasty was performed, it said, adding that he had suffered a prolonged cardiac arrest, which resulted in a moderate hypoxic injury.

His condition is serious but showing gradual improvement, with a multidisciplinary team of doctors actively involved in his treatment, an official statement from the hospital said.