Stefanie Tücking died of a pulmonary embolism. The Baden-Baden public prosecutor’s office announced this to the family today after the autopsy. Tücking died completely unexpectedly last Saturday.
The presenter was found dead in bed by a friend on Saturday morning (December 1, 2018). There were no previous signs of illness; Tücking had appeared at work at SWR 3 on Friday morning.
“If an autopsy had been carried out on Ms. Tücking, which we have not confirmed, we would only inform the public if there were indications of foul play,” the public prosecutor’s office had previously said. The decision to make the cause of death public was Stefanie Tücking’s family – and they have now made it.
What is a pulmonary embolism?
A pulmonary embolism (or pulmonary artery embolism) occurs when a blood vessel in the lung becomes blocked, usually with a blood clot, which can lead to a life-threatening vascular occlusion.
Pulmonary embolism is one of the most frequently overlooked and misdiagnosed causes of death. In Germany, between 40,000 and 100,000 people die every year from a pulmonary embolism – it is the third most common cardiovascular disease that causes death after heart attacks and strokes.
Patients at risk include those who have suffered a fracture (hip or leg), have a total hip or knee replacement, have undergone major surgery or have had lung disease.
When predicting a pulmonary embolism, first responders must act quickly. These measures include:
- Immediately alert emergency services by calling 112 (in Europe) or another local emergency number
- Position the sick person with their upper body elevated
- Calm the patient and encourage calm breathing
- Do not allow the sick person to undertake any physical exertion
- Provide fresh air and open tight clothing
- Further general first aid measures
Stefanie Tücking’s private Facebook page has now become a condolence page: “In memory of Stefanie Tücking. We hope that all those who love Stefanie find comfort by visiting her profile.” Fans and friends share their sadness there.
Stefanie Tücking on Facebook:
