A High Court case has been settled by the family of a man who died of complications associated with a heart attack more than three weeks after he was first seen for chest pain at a hospital emergency department.
Shane Nolan, a father of four from Co Carlow, was aged 44 when he died five years ago. It was claimed he was discharged from the emergency department at St Luke’s General Hospital, Kilkenny, when it was unsafe to do so because a repeat blood test used to diagnose heart problems had allegedly not been carried out. It was further claimed there was a failure to perform a particular cardiac assessment based on Mr Nolan’s age and strong family history of coronary artery disease.
The family’s senior counsel, Liam Reidy, instructed by Cantillons Solicitors, told the court it was their case that Mr Nolan died as a result of complications of a heart attack and that this could have been avoided.
Mr Nolan’s wife, Fiona Nolan, of Bagenalstown, Co Carlow, had sued the HSE over his death.
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Counsel told the court liability was admitted in the case, which was settled after mediation talks. The terms of the settlement are confidential.
Outside court Ms Nolan said she had been looking for answers and the settlement came at the “the end of a long journey”.
“Although the compensation will assist it is no replacement for me and the children,” she said.
The case said Mr Nolan had an elevated body mass index, a past medical history of smoking and a strong family history of coronary artery disease. It alleged he woke up at 3am on August 20th, 2020, with sharp belt-like pain in his abdomen and chest radiating to his left shoulder. He went to the emergency department of St Luke’s General Hospital where he was triaged within 10 minutes of arrival.
He had an ECG scan and a working diagnosis of acute pancreatitis was made. A working diagnosis of gastritis was later made. Further tests were taken but not the repeat troponin blood test, it was claimed. His pain was recorded as having settled and he was discharged home after 9am.
It was claimed that Mr Nolan continued to complain of chest discomfort over the following two weeks and this became acute on September 1st, 2020, when he again attended the emergency department complaining of chest pain. He had another ECG and it was thought he had suffered a type of heart attack.
A stent was later inserted but an echocardiogram on September 4th, 2020, showed significant damage to the heart. He was discharged three days later with a plan for rehabilitation and outpatient follow-up.
Shortly after midnight on September 8th, Mr Nolan suffered further cardiac arrest and lost consciousness. A community defibrillator was used to shock him and paramedics continued resuscitation which lasted about 40 minutes. He was brought to St Luke’s Hospital and ventilated but a CT scan showed he had suffered a hypoxic brain injury.
A CT scan the next day indicated further deterioration and Mr Nolan suffered a further cardiac arrest. He was resuscitated but his condition continued to deteriorate, and he died on September 13th, 2020.
Approving the division of the statutory mental distress payment, Mr Justice Paul Coffey extended his deepest sympathy to the Nolan family.
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