There is no specific physiologic explanation for such an episode other than during an episode of pain from any cause, the amount of blood flow to the face may decrease. I can't say whether this event caused your father's death, but it may have contributed to it. He could have had a heart attack that caused an arrhythmia, but there's no way to be sure. Overall, I suspect that he had a sudden arrhythmia that could not have been predicted and could only have been treated if he happened to be at a medical facility with a defibrillator readily available. I hope you find this information useful.
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