Karnataka declares sudden heart attack deaths as ‘Notifiable Events’, makes autopsies mandatory

In a decisive move to address rising concerns over sudden deaths among young individuals, the Karnataka government has announced that post-mortems will be mandatory for all sudden and unexplained deaths outside hospitals involving people under the age of 45. These cases will now be officially classified as “notifiable events”, requiring medical investigation to establish the cause.

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The announcement follows a state-backed study led by Dr. K S Ravindranath of Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, which found a 4-5% increase in cardiac incidents among the younger population in the post-pandemic period. However, the study ruled out any direct link to Covid-19 infection or vaccination, instead identifying lifestyle issues, such as obesity, diabetes, smoking, and lack of physical activity as the primary factors.

Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao stated that the government is not just reacting to public anxiety but taking a scientific and preventive approach. Among the new measures to be rolled out are:

• Cardiac screenings for high school students (from Class 10 onwards)
• Annual health check-ups for government employees, with recommendations extended to the private sector
• Inclusion of lifestyle education in school syllabi focusing on physical activity, diet, and screen time
• Widespread CPR training and deployment of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in public spaces

The Minister also clarified that the state’s response was triggered by public and medical community concerns, not political speculation. The findings, he said, are meant to reassure citizens through facts, not fear.