Coroner's Finding: White, Paul Marcus
Deceased
Paul Marcus White
Demographics
42y, male
Date of death
2014-06-21
Finding date
2016-09-12
Cause of death
Ischaemic heart disease and methylamphetamine intoxication
AI-generated summary
Paul Marcus White, a 42-year-old male, died on 21 June 2014 from the combined effects of ischaemic heart disease and methylamphetamine intoxication. While playing football, he left the field with a hamstring strain and was found unconscious in the change room shower approximately 15-20 minutes later. Ambulance personnel performed CPR and administered emergency medications including adrenalin and amiodarone. Autopsy revealed severe coronary artery disease (95% stenosis of the left anterior descending artery), evidence of chronic intravenous drug use with track marks, and subacute myocardial infarction. Toxicology detected methylamphetamine at 2.0 mg/L, in the toxic range, plus cannabis. The coroner concluded death resulted from Mr White deliberately injecting a fatal quantity of methylamphetamine while already having significant underlying coronary disease. The death was deemed unintentional. The coroner highlighted the dangers of methylamphetamine use, particularly crystal methamphetamine ("ice"), and its association with cardiovascular mortality and psychiatric effects.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Specialties
Drugs involved
Clinical conditions
Procedures
Contributing factors
- Severe coronary artery disease with 95% stenosis of left anterior descending artery
- Methylamphetamine intoxication at toxic blood level (2.0 mg/L)
- Pre-existing evidence of chronic intravenous drug use
- Methylamphetamine predisposes to premature coronary atherosclerosis
- Athletic exertion while under drug influence masks fatigue and pain perception
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