The precise cause of Greek pop star Giorgos Mazonakis’ death remains under investigation after the 54-year-old suffered cardiac arrest during a reported plasma-exchange procedure at a private medical practice in Athens.
Mazonakis was reportedly undergoing the procedure at the facility in the central Athens district of Kolonaki when he experienced severe discomfort and became unresponsive.
He was transferred by ambulance to Elpis Hospital, where doctors attempted to resuscitate him. He was pronounced dead less than an hour after being admitted.
While initial reports attributed his death to a heart attack, an autopsy is expected to determine the precise medical cause and establish whether the procedure played any role.
Greek authorities are also investigating the timeline leading up to the medical emergency, including Mazonakis’ arrival at the practice, the onset of his symptoms and the subsequent call to emergency services.
Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis said the cardiac arrest reportedly occurred during a plasmapheresis, or plasma-exchange, procedure at premises licensed as a general medical practice.
“We must investigate the exact circumstances of the incident,” Georgiadis said, adding that such a procedure was not permitted in an ordinary medical practice.
The minister asked the Athens Medical Association to conduct an immediate inspection of the premises. Its president, Dr Giorgos Patoulis, said the facility had been licensed as a general medical practice since 2013.
Authorities are examining the physician’s file, the equipment found at the premises and the documents submitted when the practice obtained its licence.
“We will also examine what he was supposed to be doing and whether he had the ability to proceed with such actions,” Dr Patoulis said.
The doctor who was monitoring Mazonakis has provided a statement to police as investigators work to establish the circumstances preceding his transfer to hospital. No finding of wrongdoing has been made.
Mazonakis grew up in the Piraeus area and was of Cretan descent. He began performing at a nightclub in Patra in the early 1990s before signing with PolyGram, now Universal Music, and releasing his debut album in 1993.
Influenced by prominent Greek singers including Stratos Dionysiou, Giannis Parios, Marinella and Haris Alexiou, he developed a commercially successful sound that combined traditional Greek influences with contemporary pop.
Throughout his career, Mazonakis performed extensively in Greece and Cyprus and developed a strong following among Greek diaspora communities in Australia, Germany and the United States.
Source: Ekathimerini, To Vima
