'Sushmita Sen's Fitness Minimised Impact Of Heart Attack', Says Her Cardiologist

Sushmita Sen suffered a heart attack & had to undergo an angioplasty at Mumbai’s Nanavati Hospital, early in March.

(Photo: FIT)

Early in March, actor Sushmita Sen revealed on Instagram that she suffered a heart attack and had to undergo an angioplasty at Mumbai’s Nanavati Hospital.

In an interview with ETimes, senior cardiologist Dr Rajiv Bhagwat, who handled Sen’s case, said that this is a reminder that – “Women, heart attack is not a men thing…”

'Risk Factors Increasing'

Dr Bhagwat elaborated that with time and the changing roles of women in society, increased stress and improper diet habits have now become risk factors not just for the heart, but also for comorbidities such as diabetes and hypertension. His advice? Try to maintain an active physical lifestyle to prevent any major health concerns. 

Dr Bhagwat says that in Sen’s case too, “Her high physical activity indeed helped in ensuring that the damage was limited.”

“Sushmita is blessed that she came in at the right time and right place.”

Dr Rajiv Bhagwat to ETimes

But he maintains that while one should exercise maybe 3-4 days a week, the body should also be given ample relaxation time to “recover from the strain of exercise,” ETimes quoted him as saying.

The cardiologist also emphasised the need for proper 7-8 hours of sleep on a daily basis.

Dr Bhagwat says that the risk of cardiovascular diseases usually begins with:

• Diabetes

• Obesity

• Lack of vitamin D

• Irregular sleep cycles

All this leads to the distribution of insulin to the different parts of the body becoming limited. He also recommends not taking protein powders or any kind of supplements before consulting a doctor.