Coronial
VICaged care

Finding into death of IWT

Deceased

IWT

Demographics

77y, female

Coroner

Coroner Sarah Gebert

Date of death

2022-08-07

Finding date

2025-09-10

Cause of death

Complications of malnutrition in a woman with paranoid delusions

AI-generated summary

A 77-year-old woman with complex medical and psychiatric history died from complications of malnutrition while an inpatient with paranoid delusions and delirium. She was admitted following falls and required compulsory treatment under the Mental Health Act due to refusal of food, drink, and medication based on persecutory beliefs. Despite comprehensive clinical management including psychiatric review, medication optimization, dietitian involvement, and consideration of nasogastric feeding, she continued to refuse oral intake. A nasogastric tube was withheld to prioritize her expressed goals of care emphasizing comfort. The Coroners Prevention Unit found no shortcomings in care. The coroner concluded clinicians acted reasonably and appropriately in her best interests, exploring treatment options while respecting her final wishes.

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

Specialties

psychiatrygeriatric medicinegeneral medicinecardiologydietetics

Drugs involved

olanzapineduloxetinefluoxetinerivastigminepaliperidone

Clinical conditions

paranoid delusionsdeliriummalnutritionTakotsubo cardiomyopathydementiainterstitial lung diseasepulmonary hypertensionspinal cord tetheringspinal canal stenosisobstructive sleep apnoea

Contributing factors

  • paranoid delusions with refusal of food and drink
  • delirium with multifactorial causes including pain, metabolic dysregulation, poor nutritional intake
  • Takotsubo cardiomyopathy
  • complex medical history including spinal cord pathology, interstitial lung disease, pulmonary hypertension
  • long-standing mental illness with poor treatment compliance
  • severe malnutrition
Full text

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