Mumbai gardener survives two heart attacks in 53 days

Mumbai: Santosh Zore, a 44-year-old gardener, has survived two heart attacks in just 53 days. Zore lives in a housing colony in south Mumbai. Doctors say he is lucky to be alive, especially since heart-related issues kill around 25 people daily in the city. Zore's first cardiac arrest occurred near Antilia, the home of businessman Mukesh Ambani. Thankfully, security guards there were trained to use a defibrillator. After receiving CPR for 10 minutes, he regained consciousness and was taken to a private hospital, then transferred to Nair Hospital. Zore has had heart problems for two years. His heart's pumping ability was severely reduced after a previous heart attack. Doctors believe he developed ventricular fibrillation, a serious condition where the heart quivers instead of beating normally. On March 9, Zore received an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). This device detects irregular heartbeats and can deliver a shock to restore a normal rhythm. Since the ICD was fitted just two weeks ago, Zore felt better but faced another incident of V-fib last Friday. Luckily, he was already in the hospital, and the ICD helped him recover. Doctors at Nair Hospital expect Zore to recover quickly and be discharged soon. They emphasize that many people suffer from cardiac arrest, and timely intervention is crucial. They advocate for more public access to defibrillators to help save lives. In related news, Nair Hospital performed its first transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). This procedure allows for heart valve replacement without open-heart surgery. A 69-year-old patient, Ashraf Faki, received the procedure for free, highlighting the hospital's commitment to helping those in need.