TIL Desk Lucknow: 👉Medanta Super Specialty Hospital, Lucknow, is celebrating World Heart Day with a dynamic Heart Health and CPR workshop, inspiring school students to serve as Heart Ambassadors. Themed “Use Heart For Action,” the event provided essential life-saving CPR training and cardiac health education, equipping the youth to respond effectively to emergencies.
Heart disease remains one of the leading causes of mortality in Uttar Pradesh, with startling statistics revealing that approximately 15% to 20% of heart attack patients are under the age of 40. The region faces significant challenges in addressing this health crisis, including a critical lack of public awareness about early heart attack symptoms, which often leads to delayed emergency responses. In rural and semi-urban areas these issues are more due to lack of awareness, economics, and inadequate facilities for heart care, resulting in patients arriving at healthcare facilities in advanced stages of heart disease. During the early hours of the heart attack, cardiac arrest can occur which may need Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). The public in general and family members of heart patients should know how to do CPR to save lives. This workshop is being arranged to educate young people about diet and exercise to prevent heart attacks and to know when CPR is needed.
The workshop saw collaboration with five esteemed schools in Lucknow—Kunskapsskolan, Delhi Public School (DPS) Shaheed Path, and Amity International School, Vrindavan. Students participated in hands-on CPR training and heart health education, fostering community engagement and empowering them to spread awareness about cardiac health and emergency response.
Dr. R.K. Saran, Head of Cardiology at Medanta, emphasized the necessity of the workshop, stating, “Timely response to heart attacks is crucial. By training students in CPR, we are equipping the next generation with the skills needed to intervene during critical moments and save lives.”
Upon completing their training, students were designated as Heart Ambassadors, tasked with promoting heart health awareness within their schools and communities. Dr. Saran noted, “These students may play a pivotal role in reducing preventable deaths due to heart disease in our state.”
The highlight of the event was the practical CPR training, where students learned vital techniques and the importance of the “golden hour”—the critical 90 minutes following a heart attack. Dr. Lokendra Gupta, Emergency and Intensive Care Specialist at Medanta, remarked, “With a rising number of heart disease cases, particularly among younger populations, initiatives like this are essential. They empower communities to respond effectively during critical moments before medical assistance arrives.”
The World Heart Day event is part of Medanta’s ongoing mission to combat the growing trends of heart disease through education, early detection, and timely intervention. Insights from Medanta’s cardiologists reveal that lifestyle factors such as poor diet, obesity, lack of physical activity, and increasing stress levels are contributing to the rise of ischemic heart disease, hypertensive heart disease, and heart failure. Additionally, the incidence of heart disease among women, especially post-menopausal women, is rising, necessitating greater awareness and access to healthcare in underserved regions.