Malayalam actor Santhosh Nair passed away on Tuesday following a road accident when his car crashed into a lorry. Though he was rushed to a nearby hospital, the actor suffered a heart attack during treatment.
Santhosh Nair's career started in 1982. He had acted in over 100 movies and had played various roles, including villains, supporting characters and comic roles.
His last movie was 'Mohiniyattom', which is currently running in theatres.
Can road accidents trigger a heart attack?
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According to reports, the actor suffered a heart attack as he was getting treated after the accident.
Studies have revealed that road accidents can trigger a heart attack through severe stress, physical trauma, or a pre-existing condition. Blunt force impact can cause immediate heart disruption or damage that triggers a cardiovascular event. It could cause cardiac contusions.
A cardiac contusion most often impacts the heart’s chamber responsible for transporting blood into the lungs, where it replenishes with oxygen.
Recovery depends on the severity of the injury. A bruised heart could cause a heart attack and even lead to severe life-threatening complications.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, while not identical to a heart attack caused by a blocked artery, a severe contusion can damage the heart muscle similarly, resulting in myocardial infarction, severe arrhythmias, cardiogenic shock, or heart wall rupture.
