THE DEATH of an elderly woman who took lethal levels of a prescribed anti-depressant will be reported to the Irish Medicines Board, Dublin city coroner has said.
Dr Brian Farrell delivered an open verdict in the death of Ms Kitty Markey (85), Altadore Nursing Home, Glenageary, Co Dublin yesterday after he heard she died on May 15th, 2006 of toxic levels of the anti-depressant Surmontil. She had been prescribed the drug several years earlier and took it nightly.
At the start of the inquest Dr Farrell explained he was hearing the case as Dublin county coroner Dr Kieran Geraghty worked in the same medical practice as the GP of the deceased.
A blood sample from Ms Markey was sent on to the State laboratory where blood levels of Surmontil were found to be 4.8 micrograms per litre – “well within the range of a lethal overdose”.
Ms Markey’s death could be attributed to acute cardio- respiratory compromise caused by an overdose of the tri-cyclic antidepressant Surmontil, according to Dr Crona Gallagher, who carried out an autopsy.
Nursing home director Katherine O’Reilly said all drugs at the nursing home were pre-counted for the patients, and pre-packed by a local pharmacy in four week cycles. “There had never been any problem with Kitty’s medication. She took her own medication in front of us,” she said.
Ms Markey’s GP, Dr Gerry Mansfield, described her as a very stable lady who had few alterations to her medications.
Dr Gallagher agreed Ms Markey had been on a standard dosage of Surmontil and was unable to explain how her blood levels had become fatal.
Dr Farrell said: “It appears there is no external factor in this and there must be some pharmaco-physiological reason. I am therefore going to report the death to the Irish Medicines Board . . . There are no suspicious circumstances. I am going to leave the verdict open.”
