Cause of death revealed: Indian-origin man dies after being made to wait for hours at Canada hospital

A 44-year-old Indian-origin man in Canada died after collapsing in a hospital emergency waiting area. The incident has caused quite an uproar with people questioning the role of the hospital in not taking the situation seriously. Prashant Sreekumar died on December 22, 2025, following what was described as an apparent cardiac arrest, after waiting more than eight hours for treatment at Grey Nuns Hospital in southeast Edmonton, according to Global News.Prashant began experiencing severe chest pain while at work on December 22. A client drove him to Grey Nuns Hospital, where he was checked in at triage and asked to wait. His father, Kumar Sreekumar, arrived shortly after.“He told me, ‘Papa, I cannot bear the pain,’” Mr. Kumar said.Mr. Kumar said his son repeatedly told both him and hospital staff that the pain was “15 out of 10.”In a purported video, being circulated on social media, Prashant's wife alleged that her husband's last recorded blood pressure was 210, his wife alleged. This is concerning as normal blood pressure for healthy adults is usually less than 120/80 mmHg. “They said that chest pain is not considered acute problem. They do not suspect a cardiac arrest,” Sreekumar's wife said.Doctors conducted an electrocardiogram (ECG), a standard, painless test used to assess the heart’s electrical activity and detect issues such as irregular heartbeats, blocked arteries, or signs of a heart attack.According to the family, they were told the test showed nothing significant and Prashant was asked to continue waiting. He was also offered Tylenol for pain relief.However his conditions continued to worsen. When he was ultimately called into the treatment area more than eight hours later, he collapsed. “After about 10 seconds, he looked at me, stood up, put his hand on his chest, and just collapsed. They took my child for nothing,” his father said.The staff tried to resuscitate but he was declared dead due to apparent cardiac arrest.As of the current reports, Prashant was experiencing classic warning signs associated with a heart attack, which can progress into cardiac arrest if not treated promptly. A heart attack occurs when blood flow to part of the heart is blocked, while cardiac arrest happens when the heart suddenly stops beating effectively.As per NHS, if a person is experiencing, one of these or all symptoms they should be taken seriouslyChest pain described as pressure, tightness, heaviness, or squeezingPain spreading to the arms (often the left), jaw, neck, back, or abdomenShortness of breathSweatingFeeling lightheaded or dizzyNausea or vomitingAn overwhelming sense of anxietyCoughing or wheezingPrashant was also given Tylenol, as per reports. However, medical guidance is clear that not all painkillers are appropriate during suspected heart-related chest pain. The NHS advises that, while waiting for emergency help, a person suspected of having a heart attack may be told to chew and swallow aspirin (usually 300 mg) if they are not allergic, as aspirin helps prevent further blood clotting.Many health organizations caution against relying on acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) in place of aspirin during suspected cardiac events, as they do not provide the same protective effect against clot formation.