Beloved TV presenter dies aged 41 after mistaking heart attack symptoms for cold

A beloved TV presenter has died after mistaking the early signs of a heart attack for nothing more than a bad cold. Ecuadorian host and model Emilio Sueños, 41, told friends he was suffering from flu-like symptoms - unaware his body was already in crisis. Days later, he collapsed and was rushed to hospital in Guayaquil, where doctors discovered his heart had been severely damaged by excessive testosterone use.

Medics revealed his heart had become enlarged due to hormone injections he'd been taking to correct a failed cosmetic procedure. What began as a mild cough quickly turned into a life-threatening condition. At first, Emilio brushed off the illness. But his close friend Ivanna Melgar said his condition deteriorated suddenly in the days before his death, describing that time as "especially difficult". She recalled: "From one moment to the next, he started coughing and couldn't breathe.

"He sent me audio messages saying it wasn't the flu, but that he simply couldn't breathe. He used sick and stressed emojis on his WhatsApp statuses."

The popular presenter was admitted to Guasmo Sur General Hospital on 1 October and placed in intensive care, where doctors diagnosed heart inflammation caused by hormone misuse.

According to NeedToKnow, specialists confirmed the testosterone injections had worsened his heart failure.

Ivanna said the way the hormone was administered made things worse: "The problem worsened because he injected the hormone into his arm and not his buttocks, due to the presence of biopolymers in that area.

"His heart couldn't hold up, and one of his lungs was also damaged. They gave him blood transfusions, but they turned into water. They tried to get the hormone out of his body, but they couldn't."

Despite emergency treatment, Emilio died in hospital. Tributes poured in from fans and colleagues across Ecuador, describing the TV favourite as "dedicated, cheerful and hardworking".

One read: "May God give him eternal rest and he can repatriate so that here in Venezuela can say goodbye to his family, friends and students."

He was widely known for his on-screen charm and openness about his identity as a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community in his hometown of Guayaquil.

Local media said the presenter had spoken in the past about his insecurities following cosmetic surgery complications - which friends now believe may have led to his reliance on hormone therapy.

Emilio's death has sparked renewed warnings about the dangers of unsupervised hormone use, with doctors urging patients to seek medical advice before beginning any treatment.

A spokesperson for the hospital said a full medical review would take place to determine the exact cause of his heart failure.