Ummm ... just what is ‘heart failure’ anyway?
Can they be more specific?
And then, what causes heart failure?
Any unknown, little known drugs that can induce that (like muscle relaxers, etc)?
In Breitbart's case it would be heart enlargement, which causes the heart to pump less efficiently. It also causes rhythm problems. As the heart becomes less efficient, it works harder which causes more enlargement, and the cycle continues. Many times there are no symptoms because of this compensation. And the first symptom is sudden death.
Any unknown, little known drugs that can induce that (like muscle relaxers, etc)?
Long term cocaine use can cause a lot of heart problems, but I guess you're asking if this could be murder. I doubt it. High blood pressure is the most common cause, and I believe Breitbart's family said they knew he had heart problems.
Potassium can cause problems, but it takes quite a bit of it. It is the active ingredient in euthanasia and executions. It is present in many foods but hardly ever added as a supplement.
Heart failure is a term referring to the inability of the heart to pump blood efficiently. Usually it is the result of problems with the kidneys.
The heart is perfectly sized to pump a proportionate amount on both sides. It is tuly amazing. One side pumps to the body, the other side to the lungs. If the balance is off, you get swelling in the extremities, if it is off the other way, you get fluid in the lungs.
I think that if he died of heart failure, he would have died slowly. If he died of a heart attack, it might be said that his heart failed, but that wouldn't be heart failure. That's what I believe. As far as if it were foul play, I would suspect a sudden infusion of potassium, either in a drink or injected. Death would be quick and no trace would remain.
Can they be more specific?
And then, what causes heart failure?
It just means pump failure, but there are many causes, e.g. one or more myocardial infarctions, aka heart attacks, various types of valvular heart disease, various types of conduction abnormalities, congenital or aquired cardiomyopathies, etc. The bottom line is that it can't pump enough blood.