EDUCATIVE: Cause of Goldie's death

Sources at the Reddington Hospital states that the likely cause of her sudden death is pulmonary embolism.

According to an article on the New York Times website, “Life-threatening blood clots and flying have been linked for more than 50 years, but a new study of business travelers confirms the risk, particularly for those who take long flights or fly frequently.

“Immobility is considered a major factor behind the condition, called deep vein thrombosis.

“But while it is often referred to as “economy-class syndrome” because of the cramped seating there, D.V.T. also occurs among those who fly in business class and first class, the researchers found.

“People who fly four hours or more, the study found, have three times the risk of developing clots compared with periods when they did not travel.

 

“D.V.T. occurs when a blood clot forms within the large deep veins of the body, usually in the leg. If untreated, part of the clot may break off and travel to the lungs, where it can cause a pulmonary embolism, a potentially fatal condition.”

 DVT is DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS. Meaning a blood clot in the large veins in the thighs or the lower legs. When for any reasons such clots break loose, they may travel to any part of the body such as the brain, lungs or heart. Where ever they hit, they'll block off oxygen from getting through. If it hits the brain for example, it will lead to cerebral ischemia, whereby brain cells die very quickly and of course, we are facing massive stroke in such patients. Where clinical intervention is not rapid, death follows rapidly. When such clots hit the lungs, we say such patients threw a P/E. Pulmonary embolism. Lungs got occluded, starved of oxygen and oxygenated blood and of course Death within a short while. Same thing for the clot in the heart. This syndrome is peculiar to older people, but can hit younger people too. Those who are genetically disposed to it, those who smoke or who are on birth control pills or estrogen for menopausal syndrome are susceptible to it. Also, those who are couch potato or immobile are prone to DVT. Reading the news about her death, I had suspected it was DVT. My candid advise is for long distance travellers to take 81mg of Aspirin before boarding and to do leg exercise if they can't move about in the plane . Aspirin is a blood thinner. I will rather risk the temporary discomfort of Ulcer than a DVT. Besides, the 81mg is a baby aspirin. It could have saved her life. People should encourage doctors to do their CBC and Pt/ Ptt and the dimer test to see if they are prone to this syndrome.

A report on National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s website, noted that “pulmonary embolism is a very serious condition. It can damage the lungs and other organs in the body and cause death.

According to close friends, the singer and former Big Brother contestant, was a frequent traveller and had complained of stress in the past weeks, but insisted she was fine.

Her corpse was deposited at the LASU General Hospital this morning.