Shefali Jariwala dies at 42: Dubai doctor warns of cardiac risks in young adults

Dubai: Indian actor and TV star Shefali Jariwala, who gained fame after the 2002 hit remix video of the song Kaanta Laga, is no more. She died at the age of 42.

While the autopsy is pending, initial reports suggest a possible cardiac arrest. Mumbai Police have reportedly said there is “no foul play” and that “it appears to be a natural death.” She was rushed to the hospital after reportedly complaining of severe chest pain and collapsing at home. She was declared dead on arrival.

Experts say such sudden events in younger adults are increasingly linked to untreated high cholesterol, lifestyle stress, smoking, or a family history of heart disease. In the UAE, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Complications include heart failure, heart attack, stroke, sudden cardiac arrest and aneurysm.

“Acute stress is known to trigger heart attacks and cardiac arrests. This may be physical stress, as when going overboard with physical exercise that the person is not used to. Or it may be mental stress like extreme grief or anger,” said Dr Krishna Sarin M.S. Nair, Specialist Interventional Cardiology, Aster Hospital Qusais, Dubai.

“Panic attacks may sometimes feel like actual heart attacks, but an ECG will usually tell the difference.”

“Classical symptoms like crushing chest pain may not always be there in women. They may just have mild heartburn, ‘indigestion’ or nausea and recurrent burps not improving with antacid medicines, or new onset breathlessness without chest pain,” Dr Nair noted.

“In addition to conventional risks like smoking, family history, and high cholesterol, cardiac arrest in younger adults can also be triggered by undiagnosed electrical disturbances in the heart, such as long QT syndrome or ventricular fibrillation, and structural conditions like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. These are often silent and may only present during extreme physical or emotional stress,” Dr Nair underlined.

Social media was flooded with heartfelt condolence messages mourning her sudden demise.

Shefali reportedly had a history of epilepsy. According to Indian media reports, she was undergoing anti-ageing treatments as well.
Dr Nair noted that in rare cases, epileptic seizures can affect the heart’s rhythm.
“There is a condition called SUDEP (Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy), where a seizure may lead to a dangerous heart rhythm and sudden cardiac arrest. Though this is uncommon, it’s a known risk in people with long-term epilepsy.”
The doctor urges younger adults to take cardiac symptoms seriously and seek timely medical help even if they seem mild or unusual.