Coroner's Finding: BETTS Colin Eric
Deceased
Colin Eric Betts
Demographics
59y, male
Date of death
2001-07-30
Finding date
2004-07-30
Cause of death
pulmonary thromboembolism due to left deep calf vein thrombosis
AI-generated summary
Colin Eric Betts, a 59-year-old man with alcoholic dementia and Korsakoff's syndrome, died from pulmonary thromboembolism due to left deep calf vein thrombosis while detained in a psychiatric hospital. He was on multiple psychotropic medications (olanzapine, haloperidol, clonazepam, valproate, temazepam) for agitation and behavioural management. Some nursing staff expressed concerns about over-sedation, but expert psychiatric review found medication doses appropriate and clinical management excellent. DVT was not diagnosed during clinical examination on 27 July, three days before death. The coroner found no criticism of clinical management. Death from pulmonary embolism in a medically complex patient with multiple comorbidities (cardiac disease, seizure disorder, respiratory infection) was not preventable, and no diagnostic or management failures were identified.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Specialties
Drugs involved
Contributing factors
- sedation from antipsychotic and sedative medications may have limited mobility
- periods of reduced mobility despite generally active presentation
- underlying cardiac disease
- history of alcohol abuse and alcoholic dementia
- complex medical and psychiatric comorbidities
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