Coronial
VIChospital

Finding into death of Elizabeth Maryanne Holley

Deceased

ELIZABETH MARYANNE HOLLEY

Demographics

52y, female

Date of death

2006-11-01

Finding date

2012-01-23

Cause of death

Hypoxic brain injury due to hypotension in a woman with documented electrocardiogram abnormality due to coronary artery disease and treatment with antipsychotic medications

AI-generated summary

Elizabeth Holley, 52 years old, was admitted involuntarily to a psychiatric ward with a history of three weeks of declining mental health and medication non-compliance. She received high-dose antipsychotic medications including 10g of olanzapine intramuscularly on admission. She developed a prolonged QT interval on electrocardiogram, a known complication of antipsychotic use. After experiencing dizziness and collapse, she suffered cardiac arrest requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation. She developed refractory seizures and hypoxic brain injury, dying four days later. Post-mortem examination revealed coronary artery disease, mitral valve prolapse, and multiple pulmonary emboli. The coroner found that electrocardiogram abnormalities from antipsychotics can precipitate cardiac arrhythmias leading to cardiac arrest and brain injury, but concluded her care was within normal reasonable health care practice.

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

Contributing factors

  • Prolonged QT interval on electrocardiogram as a complication of antipsychotic medications
  • Cardiac arrhythmia triggered by conduction system abnormality
  • Coronary artery disease with significant stenosis
  • Cardiac arrest leading to hypoxic brain injury
  • Multiple pulmonary emboli
  • Mitral valve prolapse
  • High-dose antipsychotic medication administration
Full text

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