A medical expert suggests that adult film star Emily Willis' weight of 80 pounds may have contributed to her cardiac arrest.

Emily Willis before her cardiac arrest, entered rehab at 80 pounds, and a Board medical health doctor thinks her weight could have played a role.

The former adult star suffered a cardiac arrest at a Malibu rehab center in February 2024 that left her in critical condition and in a vegetative coma. The last update on Emily was in May 2024 from her GoFundMe page and it stated she showed "signs of responsiveness like eye tracking but is still unable to communicate." Her stepfather, Michael, gave two updates to TMZ in March 2024 about Emily's condition.

In his last March update, he stated she had awakened from her "vegetative state" and was showing some positive signs of recovery such as tracking things with her eyes, smiling and getting emotional during conversation. In the first March update to outlet, it was revealed that Emily was 80 pounds before entering the rehab center and that she ate "very little" as well.

In the update, it was not clear if her weight had anything to do with her health condition. A Board medical health doctor recently talked with The Mirror about how severe weight loss can lead to heart problems. Emily's family as of yet has not publicly disclosed the result of her cardiac arrest.

The same physician had earlier discussed with us how Emily's present state seems to mirror "locked-in syndrome," a rare neurological condition characterized by almost total paralysis of voluntary muscles, with the exception of those controlling eye movement.

Dr. Hofeldt said that Emily's 80 pound weight to her 5'5 height (according to her IMDB page), "met the medical definition of severe malnutrition with a body mass index (BMI) of less than 18.5 and Emily was at 17.5."

The medical specialist indicated that while the specific reason for Emily's drastic weight loss and signs of severe malnutrition remains unclear, typical medical factors may involve eating disorders, serious illnesses, cancer, or inflammatory diseases.

She went on to explain that regardless of the cause behind Emily's drastic weight loss and noticeable malnutrition, it indicates that the body lacks sufficient nutrients, fats, proteins, and vital minerals "to function correctly, which can lead to serious damage over time."

"The heart muscle itself can become significantly weakened, potentially reducing in size and undergoing remodeling. This can result in irregular and possibly life-threatening heart rhythms, as well as cardiac arrest," the physician elaborated.

Dr. Hofeldt elaborated that the heart muscles tend to "shrink and weaken" especially during significant weight loss. She noted that as the heart diminishes in size, "the heart rate decreases as if it is entering a state of hibernation."

The doctor added that with severe malnutrition there are "critical deficiencies in potassium, and magnesium that can also lead to dangerous heart rhythms." This means that cardiac arrest or sudden death is a serious risk from that as well as anorexia. She shared per the American Heart Association every 52 minutes someone dies of severe malnutrition or an eating disorder.

Dr. Hofeldt also noted that another potential factor might be "refeeding syndrome." This condition occurs when someone who is severely malnourished begins to eat again, and if food is reintroduced too rapidly, it can result in dangerous shifts in essential electrolytes, severe heart irregularities, dangerously low blood pressure, and in extreme cases, cardiac arrest.

The physician mentioned that the positive aspect is that individuals experiencing severe malnutrition have the potential to recover. Research indicates that "heart damage can be reversed through nutritional rehabilitation and returning to healthy eating habits."

Dr. Hofeldt emphasized that although the exact reason for Emily's cardiac arrest is unclear, it's crucial to understand that "severe malnutrition and significant weight loss can greatly tax the heart, potentially resulting in cardiac arrest for three main reasons: (1) it can weaken the heart muscle, (2) malnutrition can lead to deficiencies in vital electrolytes such as potassium and magnesium, and (3) there is a risk of refeeding syndrome."

One can read more about severe malnutrition and its impact on heart health on Dr. H's website.

The Mirror contacted Emily Willis' family and her representative for their response.