Coronial
ACTmental health

Inquest into the death of MERREN ELIZABETH BARTLEY

Deceased

Merren Elizabeth Bartley

Demographics

67y, female

Coroner

Coroner Russell

Date of death

2021-11-05

Finding date

2023-06-27

Cause of death

ischaemic heart disease

AI-generated summary

Merren Elizabeth Bartley, a 67-year-old woman with schizophrenia managed with clozapine and multiple comorbidities including coronary artery disease, died of ischaemic heart disease while an inpatient at a mental health rehabilitation unit. She had been admitted following March 2021 surgery for intra-abdominal sepsis and was awaiting suitable community accommodation. A minor fall occurred the evening before death but autopsy showed no injuries. She was found unresponsive at 3:40am after overnight two-hourly monitoring. The coroner found no evidence that the quality of care, treatment, or supervision at any facility contributed to her death. Death resulted from natural causes—advanced coronary atherosclerosis with perimortem plaque haemorrhage consistent with acute myocardial infarction.

AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes. Report an inaccuracy.

Specialties

psychiatrycardiologygeneral medicine

Drugs involved

clozapine

Clinical conditions

schizophreniaischaemic heart diseasecoronary artery diseasedilated cardiomyopathyatrial bigeminypulmonary hypertensionsystemic hypertensiondyslipidaemiahepatic steatosisclozapine-related constipationintra-abdominal sepsisileus

Procedures

surgery for intra-abdominal sepsis

Contributing factors

  • advanced coronary atherosclerosis
  • dilated cardiomyopathy
  • systemic hypertension
Full text

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