At least 125 people died due to heart attacks amid cold wave conditions in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh since the beginning of this year, officials said Monday.

The deaths were reported in Kanpur, about 88 km west of Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh.

Doctors at the hospital attributed the abrupt increase in blood pressure leading to heart attacks to cold wave conditions prevalent in Kanpur and adjacent areas.

According to Dr. Vinay Krishna, director of the LPS Institute of Cardiology, the figures are not restricted to Kanpur alone but also to 18 nearby districts.

Since Jan. 1 this year, hundreds of patients suffering from heart ailments were attended at the institute.

"Today 698 patients were brought to the hospital, out of which 44 were admitted," data released by the hospital said.

Doctors say heart ailments increase in winter as cold causes blood vessels to contract leading to high blood pressure. Apart from elderly people even some young are prone to heart attacks during the winter.

Health experts have advised people including the young to keep themselves warm and stay indoors to avoid cold conditions.

xinhua