A WOMAN with a history of blood clots died as a result of a haemorrhage which followed the use of the blood-thinning medication warfarin. Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane told an inquest yesterday that the drug complicated the woman’s condition.
“Warfarin, the medication she was prescribed, complicated her illness and caused her to die at that time,” she said, before returning a verdict of misadventure.
Cáit O’Connell (80), Farranree, Cork, suffered a massive haemorrhage and died of shock on May 3rd, Cork city coroner’s court was told.
Ms O’Connell, who had a number of health problems, was admitted to Mercy University Hospital in Cork the day before her death. She had been taking warfarin – an anticoagulant drug that works against the clotting system – as she had previously suffered a clot in her lung.
Ms O’Connell fell unconscious on the way to hospital and she declined rapidly. Despite efforts to save her, she died the following day.
Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster said death was due to a massive haemorrhage in the abdomen, brought on by warfarin. Ms O’Connell had had a urinary tract infection that became septic and bacteria entered her bloodstream, leading to her collapse.
The warfarin threw her body’s natural clotting mechanism into disarray, resulting in out-of-control bleeding. She died of haemorrhage and shock due to the infection, on a background of diabetes, heart and kidney disease.
“This is a well-recognised complication of anti-coagulant therapy,” Dr Bolster said. “Warfarin throws the body’s normal balance out and bleeding out of control results.
“The infection had gone into her bloodstream and this can tip the warfarin levels out of balance, resulting in too much bleeding.”