Finding into death of Andrew Cameron McDougall
Deceased
Andrew Cameron McDougall
Demographics
57y, male
Date of death
2023-11-28
Finding date
2025-04-01
Cause of death
Bilateral bronchopneumonia in a man with asthma, tetraplegia and multiple other medical co-morbidities
AI-generated summary
Andrew McDougall, 57, a man with complex medical comorbidities including tetraplegia, COPD, asthma, ischaemic heart disease and diabetes, died from bilateral bronchopneumonia at his supported disability accommodation home. He had multiple hospital admissions in the preceding year, including a recent COPD exacerbation in October where he discharged against medical advice. His GP saw him 5 days before death for medication review and blood tests, with no signs of chest infection noted. He was found deceased at home with foam in mouth; CPR was commenced but unsuccessful. The coroner found no evidence linking his death to his status in care. Key lessons include recognising that patients with tetraplegia and multiple comorbidities are vulnerable to respiratory infections; the importance of follow-up after self-discharge against medical advice; and ensuring clear communication between primary and secondary care regarding high-risk patients.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Drugs involved
Clinical conditions
Procedures
Contributing factors
- Complex medical comorbidities including tetraplegia, COPD, asthma, ischaemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus
- Recent self-discharge against medical advice from hospital
- Limited NDIS services utilisation despite high dependency
- Potential delay in recognition of recurrent respiratory infection
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