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What does a person look like after dying from a Heart Attack?

Discussion in 'Physical & Sexual Health' started by Fiender, Mar 31, 2009.

  1. Fiender

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    This may seem like an odd question, but I do need the information for something I'm working on.

    If someone dies from a heart attack, are there any signs like a change in skin pigmentation or something? I guess this is for the more medically adept of EC's users. I'd look it up on Wikipedia but since anyone can edit those pages, I take everything on that site with a grain of salt.

    I'd also like to apologize if this question offends anyone.
     
  2. Mickey

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    My dad died of a massive heart attack. My younger sister and I saw him really soon after. He was grayish blue.It was horrible. I'm not offended with your question,but it's something I try not to think about.
     
  3. Fiender

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    Thank you for you help. I'm sorry about your loss and I apologize if I brought up any bad memories. (*hug*)
     
  4. The Enigma

    The Enigma Guest

    Ask the EC Medical Expert, Karablat.
     
  5. KaraBulut

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    This is a graphic explanation, so skip it if you don't want to know.

    Generally, people look the same upon dying- whether from natural causes or specific cause such as a heart attack.

    The skin tends to be ashen- pale or with a blue cast.

    After the heart stops, the blood begins to respond to gravity and the person gets what is referred to as "dependent lividity" or livor mortis. This causes the top part of the body to turn pale while the bottom parts turn a mottled, purplish-blue from the pooling of blood.

    When the muscles begin to die, they become rigid and stiff in a process called rigor mortis. Rigor sets in within an hour usually and it lasts about 3 days. After 3 days, the muscles relax.
     
  6. Alex768

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    I don't know if you'd know this Kara, but why do the muscles stiffen, then relax? It doesn't make sense that if the body's dead, that the muscles can relax after being rigid.
     
  7. Mickey

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    There's no reason to apologize. I answered because you asked a question. My family talks about him,a lot. And,in life,there are good and bad memories. Your question was not offensive,at all. I meant nothing against you for asking it.
     
  8. Hidden Angel

    Hidden Angel Guest

    It''s something to do with the chemical changes in the body one chemical or group of chemicals cause the body to stiffen up then as these chemicals change into other chemicals the body relaxes.
     
  9. KaraBulut

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    In normal muscle contraction is triggered by changes in the muscle cell membrane that forces calcium into the cell. The muscles relax when calcium is forced back out of the cell.

    When the muscle cells begin to die, the cell membranes become more permeable to calcium. Calcium enters the muscle cells and the muscles contract.

    A bit of trivia: rigor doesn't just happen in humans, it happens in most animals. This means that meat will harden after the animal is slaughtered. There are certain things that are done in meat processing plants to counteract the effects of rigor mortis so that the meat is not tough. The term "aged beef" is connected to processes to overcome rigor and to tenderize steaks before they are eaten.