New Delhi, Dec 5 : A new report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has revealed that the number of deaths due to heart attacks has increased by 12.5 per cent in 2022 as compared to 2021. The report noted that 32,457 people died from heart attacks in 2022, a considerable increase from the 28,413 deaths recorded the previous year. Following Covid-19, the trend has made news. Several studies have connected the virus to poor heart function. According to the data, the rate of sudden deaths has also increased in 2022. The overall number of sudden deaths in 2022 alone is astonishing, at 56,450, showing a troubling rising trend over the previous three years. The NCRB defines sudden death as an "unexpected death that is instantaneous or occurs within minutes from any cause other than violence (for example, heart attack, brain haemorrhage, etc)". The specific category of heart attack deaths has also witnessed a substantial increase, with numbers falling from 28,579 in 2020 to 28,413 in 2021 before rising to 32,457 in 2022, according to the report. Experts have pointed out several factors that increase the risk of heart attacks, such as a high sodium diet, lack of exercise, smoking, binge drinking, sedentary lifestyle, etc. According to health experts, high haemoglobin levels can also raise your risk of heart attack, stroke and blood clots. Known as polycythemia -- a condition where red cells increase in the human body due to abnormalities in the bone marrow. These excess cells thicken the blood, slowing its flow and can cause serious problems like blood clots. "High haemoglobin levels should not be ignored as it can increase the risk of blood clotting and can sometimes lead to dangerous conditions like stroke, heart attack and blood clots in legs and abdomen," Dr Rahul Bhargava, Principal Director of Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram. /IANS