Deceased
Sheila Marion Quairney
Demographics
68y, female
Coroner
Coroner Audrey Jamieson
Date of death
2023-04-03
Finding date
2025-01-02
Cause of death
Acute myocardial infarction and coronary artery atherosclerosis
AI-generated summary
A 68-year-old woman presented to St Vincent's Hospital emergency department with upper abdominal and left-sided chest pain following a stationary bicycle fall. Clinicians attributed her symptoms to codeine adverse reaction and rib trauma rather than considering acute coronary syndrome. She deteriorated and suffered a cardiac arrest due to acute myocardial infarction with ventricular rupture. The autopsy revealed severe left anterior descending coronary artery atherosclerosis. Clinicians failed to consider myocardial infarction despite atypical presentation and did not test troponin initially. Key lessons: maintain high suspicion for acute coronary syndrome in females presenting atypically; ensure comprehensive reassessment rather than anchoring to initial diagnoses; consider cardiac causes in chest pain even with alternative explanations.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes. Report an inaccuracy.
Specialties
Error types
Drugs involved
Clinical conditions
Procedures
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53y · Male·Aspiration pneumonia in the setting of Down syndrome and pelvic fractures
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