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istoOi t1_ixyh53l wrote

A brief shock can lead to heart arrhythmia which might be fatal.

A continuous shock prevents the muscles from relaxing which isn't good for things like breathing.

And if the power is great enough, permanent damage to the nerves and internal burnings are definitely fatal.

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TorakMcLaren t1_ixz4rle wrote

To expand (pardon the pun), muscles work by contracting when electricity goes to them. Your nerves send electrical signals, and the muscles pull. If you constantly pass electricity through them, they'll stay pulled, and you won't be able to relax them to be able to breathe.

The heart is a muscle. Chambers of it expand and fill with blood, then contract (thanks to a wee electrical timer) and fire blood around the body. Rogue electric signals can mess with this timing and can make it stop.

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