Officials: LIer who died in Dominican Republic had heart failure

A Glen Cove man died of respiratory and heart failure while on a trip to the Dominican Republic, the country’s attorney general’s office said Tuesday.

Vittorio Caruso, 56, had a long history of health-related problems that included multiple heart attacks, hypertension, and chronic pulmonary disease, the office said, citing Caruso’s preliminary autopsy report.

The findings also showed Caruso was a smoker, the office said in a statement. He died at a hospital on June 17.

Caruso owned a condominium in the capital Santo Domingo, the attorney general's office said.

On June 11, Caruso had trouble breathing and was treated by a doctor, the office said citing an account that his partner gave authorities.

On June 17,  the woman told authorities that Caruso called her to say he was experiencing chest pain and was having trouble breathing, the office said.

She said he received medical assistance at his home and then was transferred to a hospital, "where he suffered from cardiorespiratory arrest and died,” the office said.

His brother, Frank Caruso, 70, of Glen Cove, had said Vittorio was healthy and had “no heart problems.” Frank Caruso could not be immediately reached on Tuesday for comment.

With Martha Guevara