Richard Greene suddenly collapsed from a cardiac arrest

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Gaining great success as the lead in The Adventures Of Robin Hood – a TV series that ran between 1955 to 1960 – Greene’s career didn’t take off as he expected. In 1939, the Plymouth-born actor made a name for himself in The Hound Of The Baskervilles and The Little Princess, gaining lots of admiration for his looks. He is also known for The Desert Hawk (1950) but, arguably, he only made one other well-known film, The Castle Of Fu Manchu (1969).

By the 1970s, Greene was appearing less and less on the silver screen; rather, he enjoyed his leisure time with his second wife, Brazilian heiress Beatriz Summers.

According to IMDB, the marriage wasn’t to last, and the pair divorced in 1980.

Five years later, on June 1, 1985, Greene died from a deadly cardiac arrest at the age of 66.

What’s a cardiac arrest?

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) explains: “A cardiac arrest is when your heart suddenly stops pumping blood around your body.”

Differing from a heart attack, the “emergency usually happens without warning”, causing somebody to collapse, suddenly.

A person who has had a cardiac arrest will be unconscious, unresponsive, and not breathing normally, or at all.

“Without immediate treatment, the person will die,” the BHF warns. “If you see someone having a cardiac arrest, phone 999 immediately and start CPR.”

CPR “is vital as it keeps blood and oxygen moving to the brain and around the body”, the charity adds.

“A defibrillator will then deliver a controlled electric shock to try and get the heart beating normally again.”

If a person survives a cardiac arrest, there can be long-term after effects, such as:

  • Personality changes
  • Problems with memory
  • Feeling tired
  • Dizziness or balance issues
  • Aphasia/dysphasia (problems with speech and language)
  • Myoclonus (involuntary movements)
  • Permanent brain injury.

What causes a cardiac arrest?

A cardiac arrest is caused by an abnormal heart rhythm, known as an arrhythmia.

Certain conditions can lead to an abnormal heart rhythm, putting a person at risk of a cardiac arrest. These include:

  • Cardiomyopathies
  • Congenital heart disease
  • Heart valve disease
  • Severe or untreated myocarditis.

Whether you have an underlying health condition or not, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of experiencing a cardiac arrest.

Lifestyle modifications include eating a healthy diet, not smoking, cutting down on alcohol, and being physically active.

People in England between the ages of 40 to 74 are eligible for free NHS Health Checks.

During the health check-up, you will be tested for conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.

The health check-up should take place at least every five years; it will occur more often if the doctor wants to monitor your health more closely.

By adhering to any lifestyle recommendations the doctor or nurse suggests, you can minimise your risk of a cardiac arrest.

Watch Richard Greene in the Captain Scarlett, showcasing on Film4+1 on Tuesday, February 7 at 1.40pm.

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