Mumbai Marathon: Two suffer cardiac arrest, over 3,000 ill

As thousands of enthusiastic Mumbaikars thronged the streets of the city to participate in the muchanticipated Standard Chartered Mumbai marathon on Sunday morning several of them had to be rushed to the medical base camps in Fort Of the 39510 who ran in the event over 3000 were in need of medical attention after attempting to complete the gruelling racesWhile eight out of 10 persons who were hospitalised suffered from severe dehydration one runner had a cardiac arrest while he attempted to complete the half marathon 21 km He had to be rushed to Marine Linesrsquo Bombay Hospital in the morning The runner Amit Kasat 37 is now undergoing treatment in the ICU of the privatelyrun hospital and was also put on ventilator supportA runner had to be stretchered away after he suffered dehydration during the marathonDoctors at the hospital say that his condition is critical and will be kept under observation in the ICU for a few more days ldquoHe had been practising for the half marathon for the last seven months and ran 10 km every day He has always been a fitness freakrdquo said his wife Sonia Kasat suffered a cardiac arrest near Ambassador Hotel while he was running from Bandra to CSTA runner seeks medical treatment for his knee during the run The number of people taken to hospital this year doubled as compared to last year PicsSayed Sameer Abedi Shadab KhanldquoMy husband had to be administered four electric shocks before his heart started beating again He is currently on ventilator and is unconscious I am also worried about the effect the cardiac arrest has had on his brain function His heart stopped beating for 20 minutesrdquo added a worried SoniaDr B K Goyal head of cardiology department at Bombay Hospital confirmed ldquoAmitrsquos heart had stopped beating for 20 minutes due to which we had to massage his chest and give him shocks to start the regular heartbeat again The photographerrsquos condition is also very critical and both of them are unconscious and on ventilator supportrdquoldquoHe was immediately rushed to the hospital around 830 am Another person present at the marathon also suffered a cardiac arrest on Marine Drive while clicking pictures and is undergoing treatment in the ICU of Bombay Hospital He wasnrsquot a participant but a photographerrdquo said Dr Vijay DrsquoSilva medical director and director of critical care of Asian Heart hospital which was the medical partner for the marathonMany in ICUThe patient Ashok Viraj Kowale 38 is also in a critical condition and has been kept on ventilator support said doctors at the hospital The photographerrsquos relatives refused to speak to this correspondent Another runner Atul Singh is recuperating in the ICU of the Marine Lines hospital after suffering from severe dehydration Doctors at the hospital said his condition is improving The Mahalaxmi resident had participated in the half marathon for the second time after successfully completing the 21 km marathon last year said his wife SwatiCramps and bruisesDoctors observed that a majority of the 3000 runners had muscle cramps dehydration and other symptoms like exhaustion ldquoA few of the patients treated in our medical base camps were vomiting and sustained minor injuries like bruises and cuts However 1820 marathoners were in need of intravenous saline hydration This year we saw more people who had to be treated for severe dehydrationrdquo said Dr DrsquoSilvaBombay Hospital admitted a total of six patients two for cardiac arrests and four for dehydration The other four participants were admitted in Jaslok and Saifee hospitals in south Mumbai due to dehydration All patients were males between the ages of 2845 Their condition is stable as of now A total of 60 beds were set up in Fort along with seven medical aid stations eight ambulances and seven men on bikes to provide firstaid care to marathonersNumbers doubledThe number of people hospitalised after this yearrsquos marathon was twice as much as last year In 2013 only five runners were hospitalised mdash one participant a 52yearold man suffered from cardiac arrest during the half marathon while the others had acute dehydration or other such symptoms While 9000 more people participated for the marathon this year as compared to 2013 the number of participants treated in the medical base camps was around 3300 in 2013 Thus fewer participants were in need of medical attention this yearHospitals speakDr Sagar Sakale spokesperson of Bombay Hospital told MiD DAY ldquoThe two patients who suffered from cardiac arrest are still on ventilator support and their condition is critical Singhrsquos condition however is getting better while the condition of the three patients with dehydration in the general ward is stablerdquo Dr Tarang Gianchandani acting CEO of Jaslok Hospital said three male patients were brought to the hospital for dehydration and exhaustion ldquoThey were discharged last evening after undergoing treatment as their condition was stablerdquo informed Dr Gianchandani