Cardiac arrest and Seizures

Submitted by Dr T on August 22, 2011 – 2:57pm

Your heart rhythm

Question:

My Father passed away a month ago and I have questions: When I walked in the room he was shaking like he was having a seizure and he had loss of bladder and bitten his tongue which was bleeding slightly his eyes were open he was gasping for breaths but there was no response from him I rang the emergency number and they told me to perform cardiac massage which I did, my fathers medical history was diabetes, bypass surgeries’ and strokes for nearly 20 yrs death notice said Myocardial Infarction are those symptoms normal in having this outcome?

I am so sorry for your loss! What you witnessed was a cardiac arrest and seizure due lack of blood flow to your father’s brain. He must have had an acute heart attack and his heart had suddenly stopped working. I suspect his heart rhythm at the time was ventricular fibrillation, not compatible with life unless it can be corrected, usually with an electric shock and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).

With that kind of family history, you should check what your risks for heart disease are:
https://www.cardiachealth.org/risks-benefits/cardiovascular-risk

Hope this helps,
Dr T

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Steven J Gallagher

April 2, 2022 at 11:15 am

My wife passed away less than thirty days ago. She had walked into the bathroom, I heard her say, my chest, my chest. then she fell to the floor. When I reached the bathroom, she was rolling from side to side, her arms where flailing outward and she was saying please let me go, please let me go. I cradled her in my arms, and she stopped breathing.
I started CPR and called 911. when they arrived and took over, they worked on her for over thirty minutes, but lost the battle. I’m torn apart no knowing if I did enough to save her.
Thank you.

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