Heart transplant saves 40-year-old after major attack left heart at 15%

A 40-year-old man had a very big heart attack when he was 39.

His heart became so weak that it only worked at about 15 to 20 percent of normal, and he could barely lie down without feeling breathless.

Fluid collected in his lungs and legs, and medicine alone could not make him better.

Doctors decided the best option was to give him a new heart from someone who had died and donated it.

The doctors at Sparsh Hospital in Bengaluru checked him very carefully first.

When a matching heart became available, the surgery took about four to six hours.

He stayed in the hospital for about 20 days so doctors could watch him closely.

Now he is active again and can live a near-normal life.

He must take special medicines for the rest of his life so his body does not reject the new heart.

The doctors say about three out of four people who get a heart transplant are still alive 10 years later.