30% of Hassan heart attack deaths were of auto, cab drivers: Report

The data analysis of cardiac cases at the Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and its peripheral centres in Mysuru and Kalaburagi over the past six months also did not reveal any rising trend in cardiac-related fatalities.

Bengaluru: Six out of the 20 victims who died in May and June in Hassan were either auto or cab drivers, said the expert committee investigating sudden heart-related deaths in the district that sparked concern.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao called the trend concerning but stressed there was “no increase in deaths” compared with last year, following a spate of such cases.

Citing data from the Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, Dinesh said that nearly 30% of the people who died due to heart attacks were drivers.

Their lifestyle and professional demands may have exposed them to more risk factors, he said.

“Drivers now come under the high risk category. From air pollution to stress, many factors are involved,” the minister said.

“Since they sit and drive almost the entire day, body movement is less and this might also be a factor. That apart, lack of sleep and habits such as smoking and alcohol consumption may also have had an impact,” he explained.

The committee has suggested regular screening of drivers. Rao said the government would soon arrange a special screening for them.

"We will discuss with their associations and come up with a programme to ensure they are screened for heart diseases annually or bi-annually,” Rao said.

'No spurt in cases'

Amid concern that there is a spurt in sudden deaths due to heart attacks, especially in Hassan, the health department said the data did not match the claim.

"During May and June 2024, 19 deaths due to heart attack were reported and this year, 20 deaths have been reported. There is no drastic increase in deaths,” Dinesh said.

The mortality rate due to heart attack in Hassan in May and June 2024 stood at 6.03%; it came down to 5.6% in May and June 2025.

The report also noted that considering the number of cases being reported in Bengaluru, Mysuru and Kalaburagi centres of Jayadeva hospital, there was no drastic increase in cases anywhere in the state over the last six months.

Underlying conditions

The committee, which studied all the 24 deaths reported from Hassan in May and June, concluded that four were not related to cardiac issues. Of the other, 10 were confirmed to be deaths due to cardiac issues and 10 others were probably due to heart problems.

Of these, 75% of them had at least one underlying risk factor such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, smoking or family history, the report said.

Rao, who received the report on Thursday, said that seven out of 20 deaths were of people aged below 45 years and this was concerning.

"Of the seven deaths, autopsy done on four showed hyper cholesterol issues in two. These deaths could be prevented if they were screened for risk factors early on. Hence, we are optimistic that screening schoolchildren at 15 can help us detect underlying conditions early,” he said.

'No geographical link'

Rao said not all 20 deaths occurred in Haasan. Four were Hassan natives but died in Bengaluru. There is no geographical connection, he said.