'I was not alone': Dubai expat recalls near-death ordeal after heart attack

As a long time expat, 53-year old Prince MD Ali is used to living alone. His family is back in Bangladesh and he works in Dubai. However, when he was gripped by sudden breathlessness, he says, "I was not alone". A team of medical specialists sprang to action by rushing him to the hospital in an ambulance. Hospital doctors then conducted a timely intervention to save his life from sudden cardiac death.

“It was a race against time,” said Dr Shaheen Ahmad, interventional cardiologist at Zulekha Hospital Dubai, who recalled the critical moment when Ali was brought by the Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services (DCAS) at the emergency room.

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“Ali was gripped by sudden breathlessness,” narrated Dr Ahmad, adding: “Despite limited initial information, our team sprang into action, initiating CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) as per ACLS (advanced cardiovascular life support) protocol.

“We achieved a return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC, bringing him back to life) after six minutes of intense resuscitation efforts, followed by intubation and mechanical ventilation.”

Dr Ahmad continued diagnostic coronary angiography revealed a triple vessel disease, with the right coronary artery entirely blocked. Ali's survival hung in the balance.

“Thankfully, timely identification of ECG (electrocardiogram) changes and prompt primary angioplasty to the RCA saved his life,” Dr Ahmad added.

Rigorous procedure

Ali underwent a rigorous procedure where the entire thrombus (blood clot) was meticulously removed, and native flow was restored after stent deployment.

Dr Ahmad highlighted the collaborative effort: "From the emergency room to the ICU to the Cath lab, the seamless teamwork ensured a successful outcome.”

Dr Ahmad also raised “the misconception that heart attacks are mostly thought of as a health concern for senior citizens".

“No, the truth is they can occur within younger age groups as well, like Ali who is in his early 50s. In fact, based on studies, one in five people who experience a heart attack are less than 40 years old,” he added.

Deep gratitude

Now, Ali is on the path to full recovery. He expressed deep gratitude to the ambulance that brought him to the hospital and the medical team at Zulekha Hospital Dubai.

Reflecting on his scary experience, Ali said: "Being alone in a foreign land during such a crisis was terrifying, but the compassion and expertise of everyone—from the ambulance team to the nurses and doctors—restored my faith in humanity and helped me overcome the ordeal.

“I am truly blessed to have come out of this health crisis stronger than ever. Thanks to the help of everyone. I was not alone.”

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