Electrocution occurs when a living being is killed by electric currents passing through the body. The term is sometimes used to refer to any instance of electricity passing through the body, though this is not technically correct. Electrocution may occur accidentally or intentionally, and many regions of the world use the electric chair to execute criminals. The electric chair electrocutes the criminal until the heart stops. The electric current causes fibrillation in the heart, or rapid muscle contractions that will lead to death if they are not reversed within a reasonable time frame.
The topic of electrocution as an execution method is often debated as inhumane. The process can be very painful for the person being executed, and arguments have been made that it is cruel and unusual punishment. While this form of execution is used far less than it has been in the past, electrocution is still an acceptable form of execution in many regions of the world. Electricity is passed through the person's body, usually through a connecting plate or fixture affixed to the person's head. The term "ride the lightning" refers to death by electrocution because of the large currents of electricity and the thrashing a victim often undergoes during the process.
Accidental electrocution can happen under several circumstances. Any living being that makes contact with enough of an electrical current can be killed by the electricity. Contact with live power lines, for example, can cause a person to become electrocuted. The skin can be burned as a result of such contact, in addition to the internal injuries one may sustain. It is possible to reverse the effects of electrocution to save a person's life, but this is a difficult process that needs to be done in a timely manner. A device known as a defibrillator can reverse the fibrillation of the heart that resulted from the electric shock, though this is not a surefire solution to the problem.
The brain can also be drastically affected by electrocution, and even if the person survives the electric shock, he or she is likely to have sustained severe damage to the brain. This damage may manifest itself in a variety of ways, and if a person survives, he or she may still be technically considered brain dead. Men tend to be affected by electric shocks less than women, though this is not to say they are more likely to survive electric shocks.
