Coroner's Finding: WHATLEY Deborah Rose
Deceased
Deborah Rose Whatley
Demographics
55y, female
Date of death
2018-01-18
Finding date
2020-07-02
Cause of death
ischaemic heart disease complicated by epilepsy, asthma and schizophrenia
AI-generated summary
A 55-year-old woman with schizophrenia, epilepsy, asthma and COPD presented to hospital with abdominal pain and confusion. Initial ED assessment treated presumed UTI and discharged her. She returned the next day with worsening psychotic symptoms and was admitted under a psychiatric treatment order. On the morning of admission, she deteriorated with altered consciousness and was transferred to resuscitation. Despite investigations (CT brain, ECG, chest X-ray, blood tests) being unremarkable, she was admitted to the general ward. That evening she was found unresponsive and died despite resuscitation attempts. Autopsy revealed ischaemic heart disease with significant coronary stenosis as the primary cause. The coroner found the hospital care appropriate. No preventable factors were identified, though the initial ED discharge without further cardiac assessment in a patient with cardiac risk factors and non-specific symptoms warrants consideration.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes. Report an inaccuracy.
Specialties
Drugs involved
Clinical conditions
Procedures
Contributing factors
- moderate and severe calcified atheromatous stenosis in left anterior descending coronary artery
- history of smoking and COPD
- seizure activity contributing to acidosis
- psychotic relapse masking cardiac symptoms
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