Flight attendant Christine Dacera is too young to die of a ruptured aortic aneurysm or ruptured vein in her heart, based on the flight attendant’s autopsy report which circulated on social media.
According to veteran forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun, high blood pressure is the most common cause of ruptured aortic aneurysm, something that 23-year-olds, the age of Dacera, do not usually experience.
“That would be very unusual with a young individual. Kasi usually degenerative ‘yan, it’s due to the weakening of the wall. And the most usual condition is atheroma atherosclerosis, nalalagyan ng deposit ng mga taba-taba kaya humihina ‘yung wall na ‘yon… Bubukol muna ‘yan bago puputok, it develops overtime.. And again, ang bata nito eh,” said Fortun.
Fortun also responded to social media speculation that Dacera’s death was related to party drugs.
“Mahirap ikonek, drugs meaning intoxication and thoracic aneurysm, mahirap ‘yon,” she said.
So she said it would be nice to have a complete toxicology report to find out what Dacera last drank.
“Best sana kung kinunan ng blood at urine although sabi dito walang laman,” said Fortun.
In the body diagram made by Fortun based on the autopsy report, it appears that Dacera has contusions or bruises on her legs.
“You don’t know if there’s an assault because of the circumstances when she was found.”
Dacera ‘too young’ to die of ruptured aortic aneurysm – forensic pathologist
But according to Fortun, she did not see any sign of rape based autopsy report.
“Kung sinasabing may nakitang spermatozoa, malabong ma-conclude na rape agad ito,” she said.
Despite this, Philippine National Police chief Gen. Debold Sinas that they have evidence to prove that Christine was raped.
According to the Mayo Clinic, several factors can play a role in developing an aortic aneurysm, including:
- Hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis).
- Atherosclerosis occurs when fat and other substances build up on the lining of a blood vessel.
High blood pressure. High blood pressure can damage and weaken the aorta’s walls. - Blood vessel diseases. These are diseases that cause blood vessels to become inflamed.
- Infection in the aorta. Rarely, a bacterial or fungal infection might cause abdominal aortic aneurysms.
- Trauma. For example, being in a car accident can cause abdominal aortic aneurysms.