A YOUNG man's regular use of cocaine "caught up with him" and caused his death, according to the the Dublin city coroner. The inquest into the man's death heard that he suffered a cardiac arrest related to the effects of the drug on his heart over a period of time.
Ian Donohoe (25), Adare Green, Coolock, Dublin, collapsed at home while he was watching TV on November 1st, 2007, Dublin City Coroner's Court heard yesterday.
His brother John and girlfriend Gemma Howard, with whom he lived, rushed to his aid when they heard strange breathing sounds coming from the sitting room.
There they found Mr Donohoe in difficulties, his face discoloured.
He was rushed to the Beaumont Hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later. A postmortem found Mr Donohoe had an enlarged heart, most likely due to the effects of using cocaine over time, coroner Dr Brian Farrell said.
Ms Howard told the court her boyfriend used cocaine regularly until she became pregnant, approximately four months before his death.
"His death is drug-related, but it's not a drug overdose," Dr Farrelly said. "It's a cardiac event and I believe it's as a result of using cocaine over a period of time. We know cocaine can cause enlargement of the heart."
He recorded a verdict of death by misadventure.
The coroner expressed his condolences to the members of Mr Donohoe's family and to his girlfriend and friends on their loss.
"He was a young man of 25 with most of his life ahead of him, but we believe the cocaine caught up with him in the end and caused his death."