KK’s Death Brings Heart Problems To The Fore Again: Pay Attention To Family History, Says Dr Naresh Trehan

New Delhi: Eminent cardiologist Dr Naresh Trehan, Medanta Chairman, on Wednesday said that performers go through stress and elevated blood pressure that could precipitate a heart attack. He urged people to pay attention to their bodies, and family history. He was speaking to India Today TV following singer Krishnakumar Kunnath (KK)’s death during a live concert in Kolkata.

While we will be able to say anything concretely only after the autopsy report, a concert is like a high-intensity, high-energy event if there was a preexisting heart disease which he may or not have known it could have played a role. “We still don’t know if it was a heart attack yet,” Dr Trehan was quoted as saying.

“There could be pre-existing blockages in arteries. Secondly, if you have high blood pressure, it could rupture the artery and cause inner linings to break and if that happens it can lead to an acute heart attack. Covid is another added risk factor that has come into play in the pandemic. All these will have to be taken into consideration,” Dr Trehan told the news channel.

KK was feeling heavy after reaching his hotel and collapsed after performing at a concert organised by a college at Nazrul Mancha in south Kolkata for almost an hour in the evening.

According to Dr Trehan, if you have a history of heart disease you should follow a certain regimen so that you can keep people safe and pay attention. “When a healthy person dies like this suddenly it sends a shiver up your body to say it could happen to anybody and can we do anything? We are at a place where we can do a predicted model for individuals with a great degree of accuracy and give a follow-up and measures to prevent chances of heart attack,” he told India Today TV.

Dr Trehan said that people need to look for early signs and warnings of chest pain and other symptoms. But if you are diabetic, then you may not get these symptoms. By the age of 25, you should do your first health checkup. He added that if you have heart disease and diabetes, children have more chances of getting the same.

Kolkata Police has registered a case of unnatural death over the demise of the singer. An initial probe has revealed that he was almost mobbed by fan followers at the hotel after the performance.