Legendary playback singer Asha Bhosle passed away at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital on Sunday, a day after being admitted for acute respiratory and cardiac distress. Her son, Anand Bhosle, confirmed the icon’s demise, stating that her last rites will be performed at Shivaji Park Crematorium on Monday. While the family initially cited a chest infection and exhaustion, her passing has prompted discussions regarding the exact cause—specifically, whether a sudden cardiac arrest or escalating pulmonary complications led to the end of the 92-year-old veteran’s life.
Breach Candy Hospital's Dr Pratit Samdani told ANI that the death was due to multi-organ failure.
Also read | Asha Bhosle health update: Why chest infections are critical after 90
What happens during multi-organ failure?
Multi-organ failure, medically known as Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome (MODS), is a critical condition where two or more organ systems stop working simultaneously.
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In the case of multi-organ failure, the body releases a flood of chemicals (cytokines) that cause blood vessels to become "leaky" and dilated. Because blood vessels are leaky and blood pressure drops (shock), oxygen-rich blood cannot reach vital tissues.
Lungs are often the first to fail as they become stiff and fluid-filled, leading to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS).
Then follows the kidney, where the reduced blood flow causes it to stop filtering waste, leading to a buildup of toxins in the blood. Then comes liver, heart and brain.
The heart muscle weakens under stress, unable to maintain the blood pressure needed to keep the other organs alive. The lack of oxygen and toxin buildup leads to delirium, confusion, or coma.
Is death imminent in MODS?
Not necessarily, but the situation is extremely grave. Survival depends heavily on the number of organs involved and the speed of medical intervention.
Modern intensive care has improved outcomes significantly. Current medical estimates suggest a survival rate of roughly 50% to 60%.
Generally, mortality risk increases with each additional organ system that fails. In the cases where it involves over four organs, Mortality rates climb sharply, sometimes exceeding 80% to 90%, as the body loses its ability to maintain any form of homeostasis.
In many cases, multi-organ failure is reversible if the underlying cause (like an infection) is treated and the patient is supported by "organ replacement" technologies, mechanical ventilation for the lungs, dialysis for the kidneys, and ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) to do the work of both the heart and lungs, and vasopressors to artificially maintain blood pressure.