The sudden demise of legendary actor Sridevi came as a shock to all, especially because she looked all fit and fine. In fact, she was attending her nephew Mohit Marwah's wedding in Dubai.
A source close to the family told BollywoodLife: "Sridevi was not ailing of any major sickness which is why this news is so shocking. She has been fit and hale and hearty for a long time. She suffered a massive cardiac arrest in Dubai where she was on a short break and passed away after doctors could not bring her back. This was something that no one expected."
She passed away on Saturday and the news was confirmed by her brother-in-law, Sanjay Kapoor. While most of the Indian media outlets reported that the diva passed away after having a massive cardiac arrest, Khaleej Times quoting Sanjay Kapoor said that she suffered a heart attack.
It is to be noted, that the terms "cardiac arrest" and "heart attack" that are often used interchangeably are actually two different conditions. It is very important to know the difference between the two so that one can help a person suffering from either of the two.
The easiest way to distinguish between these two conditions is to remember that cardiac arrest is an electrical problem and heart attack is a circulation problem, Health website reported.
Heart Attack
In case of a heart attack, narrowed artery or blood clot physically blocks the blood flow to the heart. The heart muscle is starved of blood and oxygen, and parts of the tissue start to die.
Cardiac Arrest
In case of cardiac arrest, there is no blockage of blood flow. It's an electrical malfunction that causes the heart to stop beating altogether – meaning that blood doesn't flow anywhere in the body. The heart stops beating all of a sudden with no signs of warning.
If the cardiac arrest is not immediately treated with an electrical shock to the heart, the patient dies within minutes.
Symptoms
The two heart conditions have vastly different symptoms. In cardiac arrest, the patient loses consciousness and doesn't have a pulse. It can be fatal in minutes.
However, a patient suffering from a heart attack doesn't faint or doesn't stop the pulse. Instead, they're more like to have chest, arm, or jaw pain; cold sweats; shortness of breath; nausea and fatigue, especially among women.
It is to be noted that heart attacks can also be deadly. The symptoms can start hours, days, or even weeks before a full-blown attack. So, it's important to seek emergency medical attention in such cases.
Meanwhile, the cremation ceremony of the late actress is to take place at 3.30 pm at Vile Parle Seva Samaj Crematorium and Hindu Cemetery, on Wednesday, February 28.
The process got delayed because the reason for actress Sridevi's untimely death was earlier cited as cardiac arrest but the post-mortem report revealed that the reason behind the sudden death of the actress was due to accidental drowning and traces of alcohol were found in her blood.
Her body reached India at about 9:45 pm on Tuesday and was taken to her residence in Lokhandwala, Andheri, after the Dubai Public Prosecution issued a clearance letter to her family on Tuesday, February 27.
