The medical community in Chennai is mourning the sudden death of Dr. Gradlin Roy, a 39-year-old consultant cardiac surgeon at Saveetha Medical College, who died of a heart attack while making his rounds at the hospital. The tragic event has sparked concerns about the demanding lifestyle and increasing stress levels faced by young doctors in India.

Dr. Roy reportedly collapsed in the ward on Wednesday while on duty. Despite immediate attempts by his colleagues to revive him with CPR, urgent angioplasty with stenting, an intra-aortic balloon pump, and even ECMO, their efforts were unsuccessful. He was later pronounced dead by the doctors. Dr. Roy is survived by his wife and young son.

The news of Dr. Roy's death was shared on social media by Dr. Sudhir Kumar, a Hyderabad-based neurologist, who described the efforts to save him. Dr. Kumar noted that Dr. Roy's death is not an isolated incident, highlighting a disturbing trend of young doctors in their 30s and 40s suffering sudden cardiac events. He emphasized that the medical profession's unique pressures contribute significantly to this issue.

Experts suggest that prolonged working hours are a key factor in such deaths. Doctors often work extended shifts, sometimes exceeding 24 hours, leading to sleep deprivation and disruption of the body's natural rhythms. The constant stress from life-or-death decisions, high patient expectations, and medico-legal concerns also take a significant toll. Furthermore, unhealthy lifestyle choices, irregular meals, lack of physical exercise, and neglected health check-ups exacerbate the problem.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and medical journals like The Lancet have warned about the risks of overwork and stress, linking them to increased cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and burnout. The WHO estimates that long working hours contributed to 745,000 deaths from stroke and heart disease globally in 2016.

Following Dr. Roy's death, many doctors have taken to social media to express their grief and raise awareness about the pressures of their profession. They described Dr. Roy as a brilliant surgeon who had just begun his independent practice. His death serves as a reminder of the importance of work-life balance and self-care among medical professionals. Doctors are urged to prioritize their health and well-being to prevent similar tragedies in the future.