On March 28, 2023, Paul O’Grady died unexpectedly at his home from a sudden cardiac arrhythmia. Aged 67, the entertainer’s heart stopped beating while laying in bed next to his husband, Andre Portasio. A deadly cardiac arrest is caused by a dangerous abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia), the British Heart Foundation (BHF) explained.
The charity elaborates: “The rhythm of your heart (which controls your heartbeat) is controlled by electrical impulses.
“If the electrical impulses go wrong, it can cause an abnormal heart rhythm known as an arrhythmia.” Some arrhythmias can lead to cardiac arrest.
The BHF adds: “Your heart’s rhythm and electrical impulses are no longer there after death.
“This means an abnormal heart rhythm can’t be found and the heart’s structure will appear normal.”
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When this occurs, the cause of a cardiac arrest can’t be found, so sudden arrhythmic death is recorded.
Before the tragic loss of life, O’Grady developed heart disease and had several heart attacks.
Heart disease
The NHS cautions that coronary heart disease “is a major cause of death in the UK and worldwide”.
There might be signs of heart disease which, if felt, should be brought to the attention of a medical doctor.
Arrhythmias can be a lasting complication from a heart attack, the NHS confirmed.
Such a complication can be “life-threatening”, with many people dying soon after a heart attack.
“Many people die suddenly from a complication of a heart attack before reaching hospital or within the first month after a heart attack,” the NHS says.
This is why heart disease and heart attacks should be taken extremely seriously.
