16 hours ago
Can A Bee Sting Cause Heart Attack? What Doctor Said
Can a bee sting cause a heart attack? A senior doctor was asked in an exclusive interview with NDTV. Dr Ashish Agrawal, Director of Cardiology at Aakash Healthcare, said that normally, if a bee stings the tongue, it will cause a mild allergic reaction, but in some patients, it could lead to a heart attack.
"If the tongue gets stung, the bee's venom immediately dissolves into the blood, and that blood can cause a process which is called an allergic reaction. Now, normally, a patient can have a mild form of allergic reaction, like just mild itching, and that's all," he said.
"But in certain individuals, those patients who are predisposed to allergens, they can have a severe form of allergy, which is called anaphylaxis. And this can cause a heart attack or a cardiac arrest," he said.
Mr Agrawal said that the severity of allergy has a very wide spectrum. "Some people are allergic not only to bees, they are allergic to some dust, pollens or some drugs or even some food items. So, this form of allergy, this severity of allergy, has a very wide spectrum. That means a patient can have a mild form of itching and up to anaphylaxis, which is called the most severe form of allergic reaction, and it actually can cause a cardiac arrest," he added.
How Can A Patient With Severe Reaction Be Saved?
"Anaphylaxis is a form of medical emergency. At times, the patient does not even get a few minutes to make it to the hospital. So, it is very difficult and it varies from patient to patient how much time a patient gets," said Dr Agrawal.
"The patient needs to be taken to the hospital immediately, and in case of a cardiac arrest, CPR has to be given, some life-saving drugs need to be injected into the patient, and usually, if a patient reaches the hospital in time, he can be saved," he added.
Meanwhile, the close friends and family of Sunjay Kapur, Chairman of Sona Comstar Ltd, have denied media reports that suggested he died after being stung by a bee. A final post-mortem is awaited, but a heart attack is suspected to have caused the death of the 53-year-old businessman who collapsed during a polo match in England on June 12.
What Is Anaphylaxis?
Anaphylaxis is a severe and life-threatening allergic reaction that spreads quickly throughout the body, according to the National Institute of Health.
It can start with mild signs like skin rashes or itching, but can rapidly lead to serious problems like difficulty breathing and a sudden drop in blood pressure. This condition can be caused by triggers such as bee stings, certain foods, or medicines.
Some reactions involve the immune system's antibodies (called IgE), while others do not, but still look similar. Immediate treatment with an adrenaline (epinephrine) injection is critical. Medical teams must act fast to recognise and manage the reaction to save the person's life.
