Comedian Raju Srivastava suffers ‘mild heart attack’ at the gym; things to keep in mind while exercising

He, reportedly, collapsed while running on a treadmill after which he was rushed to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, where he is recuperating.

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While exercising is extremely essential to stay healthy and fit, one must always keep some pointers in mind to reap maximum benefit, experts said. According to Deepak Rawat, fitness expert, Cure.fit, one should “avoid holding their breath during treadmill workouts and try to find a rhythm that sits well with their running intensity.”

“Monitoring the heart rate while working out on a treadmill helps with safety needs as well. Most treadmills have the functionality to show the heart rate, either with help of a chest strap or a heart rate compatible watch,” he said in an earlier interaction with indianexpress.com.

Agreed Dr Vivek Chaturvedi, senior consultant, Cardiology and Director Cardiac Electrophysiology and Pacing, Narayana Hospital who said that people who have a heart condition, or are at high risk for it (multiple risk factors like diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking) or have any other serious non- heart-related illness, should always consult a physician before starting treadmill regimen.

Ensure you keep certain pointers in mind while using a treadmill. (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

“The same also applies to individuals in their late 30s and beyond, especially those who lead a sedentary lifestyle but are now contemplating an active lifestyle, which may include working out on a treadmill,” he said.

Dr Nishith Chandra, Cardiac Sciences, Principal Director, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute told indianexpress.com that a person after the age of 40 years should get periodic health check ups with their physicians. “If there is any suspicion of heart illness, they should consult a cardiologist,” Dr Chandra said.

Dr Rakesh Chugh, senior consultant and incharge, CTVS, Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute further pointed out that if you are a cardiac patient, it may not be advisable to exercise hard as treadmill workouts tend to increase the pulse rate and heartbeat.

Dr Chandra advised that “simple tests like echo and treadmill test” can give a very good idea about the status of one’s heart’s condition.

How excessive exercise can trigger heart ailments?

Due to excessive workouts and exertion, heart activity tends to stop and can lead to sudden cardiac deaths, noted Dr Bhupendra Singh, interventional cardiologist, Manipal Hospitals, Ghaziabad. “These are usually caused due to valvular heart ailments, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and arrhythmia. In case of malignant arrhythmia, the heart rate suddenly increases and the risk of mortality becomes higher,” he explained.

While most of these cases are genetic, even people who do not have any history of heart ailments are at risk of heart attacks during excessive workouts. “Excessive workouts can cause arrhythmia that dangerously increases the heart rate and it can even go up to 300 beats per minute as against the resting range of 60-100 beats per minute,” Dr Singh mentioned.

How to go about exercising?

For people who do not have any heart condition, it is advisable to not go too hard on their bodies, said Dr Ashish Agarwal, HOD, cardiology Aakash Healthcare Super Specialty Hospital. “Strenuous exercise raises the short-term risk of heart attack and cardiac arrest. Thirty minutes of exercise, with adequate breaks in between, five days a week, is enough to remain healthy and hearty. Always remember to do proper warmup exercises before gym sessions and don’t try to do too much too soon,” he advised.

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