’14 of 24 sudden deaths were under 45′: Why auto, cab drivers may face a hidden heart risk

Health educator Prashant Desai recently highlighted a worrying pattern in a social media post, claiming that "six of the last 20 sudden cardiac deaths in one Karnataka district were auto or cab drivers." He also noted that 14 of the 24 deaths examined were among people under 45. "Which means this is happening to people barely halfway through their working lives," he wrote on Instagram. Desai pointed to the occupational pressures drivers face, including long sitting hours, pollution, disrupted sleep and chronic stress, arguing that unlike professionals who can control their schedules, drivers often depend on spending longer hours on the road to earn a living. He wrote that “a driver cannot make that choice” when it comes to getting adequate rest, and called for measures such as regular health checks, mandatory breaks and adequate sleep for people who spend long hours driving.