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TISS Student Dies After Cardiac Arrest, Highlighting Campus Preparedness Needs
Confirmed
In Short: A 26-year-old student at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) died after collapsing during a class, underscoring the need for better emergency preparedness on campuses.
According to Dr. Patankar, a cardiologist, the incident highlights a critical gap in emergency preparedness at educational institutions. 'The hospital is hardly 2.5 kilometres away from TISS. But by the time he came to the hospital, around half an hour had passed. That is a long time; those crucial minutes had passed,' Dr. Patankar said.
The incident involved 26-year-old P Janarthanan, a first-year student of the Master of Public Health in Health Administration (MPH-HA) at TISS, who collapsed after complaining of breathlessness during a class at the institute’s Deonar campus. Janarthanan subsequently died following cardiac arrest.
Dr. Patankar noted a 'big trend reversal' in the age profile of patients presenting with cardiac emergencies over the past five years. 'Cardiac emergencies are not just an older person’s problem,' he said. 'The concern is heightened by what Patankar describes as a change in the age profile of patients presenting with serious cardiac emergencies.
Patankar also highlighted the role of lifestyle factors in these emergencies. 'The genetics have been there before also. Now it’s environmental. The increasingly sedentary lifestyles of young adults, poor diets and inadequate sleep. Many young people sleep only around six to six-and-a-half hours a night. Stress, too, needs attention, particularly as people remain connected to work well after office hours. You never completely disconnect from work. Commuting from home to workplace and the cumulative stresses of daily life can also affect health,' he said.
The incident at TISS is part of a broader trend. Dr. Patankar's observations reflect a growing concern among medical professionals about the rising incidence of cardiac emergencies among younger individuals. The need for better emergency response protocols on campuses is increasingly urgent, as the critical minutes before professional medical help arrives can be decisive.
What's confirmed
- According to Dr. Patankar, a cardiologist, the incident highlights a critical gap in emergency preparedness at educational institutions. 'The hospital is hardly 2.5 kilometres away from TISS. But by the time he came to the hospital, around half an hour had passed. That is a long time; those crucial minutes had passed,' Dr. Patankar said.
- The incident involved 26-year-old P Janarthanan, a first-year student of the Master of Public Health in Health Administration (MPH-HA) at TISS, who collapsed after complaining of breathlessness during a class at the institute’s Deonar campus. Janarthanan subsequently died following cardiac arrest.
- Dr. Patankar noted a 'big trend reversal' in the age profile of patients presenting with cardiac emergencies over the past five years. 'Cardiac emergencies are not just an older person’s problem,' he said. 'The concern is heightened by what Patankar describes as a change in the age profile of patients presenting with serious cardiac emergencies.
- Patankar also highlighted the role of lifestyle factors in these emergencies. 'The genetics have been there before also. Now it’s environmental. The increasingly sedentary lifestyles of young adults, poor diets and inadequate sleep. Many young people sleep only around six to six-and-a-half hours a night. Stress, too, needs attention, particularly as people remain connected to work well after office hours. You never completely disconnect from work. Commuting from home to workplace and the cumulative stresses of daily life can also affect health,' he said.
- The incident at TISS is part of a broader trend. Dr. Patankar's observations reflect a growing concern among medical professionals about the rising incidence of cardiac emergencies among younger individuals. The need for better emergency response protocols on campuses is increasingly urgent, as the critical minutes before professional medical help arrives can be decisive.
What's still developing
- “We don’t know what exactly led to cardiac arrest. Apparently, he had no medical issues. The post-mortem report will tell us categorically,” he said.
- “He was active, working in an office and doing all his routine activities. There was no previous chest pain. The man was brought to the hospital within minutes and was revived with a defibrillation shock. An angiography showed a 100% blockage in the left main coronary artery, following which he underwent emergency angioplasty. Again, no blood pressure, diabetes, no smoking, no drinking, no previous history. But there could have been an underlying condition or a soft plaque could have given way,” Patankar said.
- A heart attack occurs when blood flow to part of the heart is blocked, while cardiac arrest occurs when the heart suddenly stops pumping effectively.
- “The train driver did apply the emergency brake but was unable to avoid a collision,” he explained.
- Local media have reported the vehicle was transporting students from a nearby special education school.
- “What heartbreaking news from Buggenhout,” Demir wrote in a post on X before thanking the emergency services for their efforts.
- Emergency services rushed to the scene, where scores of professionals worked quickly amid high temperatures to retrieve those needing medical attention.
- Maryland Transportation Authority Police arrested him upon landing, and his employer fired him shortly after.