OAP Died After Insulin Overdose in Ward Woman Given 10 Times the Amount Prescribed By Doc
Posted on: Wednesday, 16 November 2005, 15:00 CST
AN AIRDRIE pensioner died after being injected with an overdose of insulin 10 times the amount prescribed by a hospital doctor.
A Fatal Accident Inquiry heard Moira Pullar, 62, was "happy, laughing and joking" with her family the day after being admitted to Airdrie's Monklands Hospital in January, 2004.
However, just a day later she suffered a cardiac arrest and later died.
Pathologist Dr Tobias Hatta, who carried out the post mortem on Mrs Pullar, told the inquiry: "The cause of death was bronchial pneumonia, hypoxic brain damage and a cardiac and aspiratory arrest, brought on by excess insulin.
"I am told she had a history of diabetes and high blood pressure, and that the day before she suffered a cardiac arrest she had been given 40 units of insulin, when it should have been four."
Mrs Pullar, of Scotts Place, Airdrie, was admitted to Monklands Hospital from nearby Carrickstone Nursing Home.
One of Mrs Pullar's daughters, Natalie Martin, 38, told the inquiry: "When I went to see her with my sister on the Saturday she was happy, laughing and joking.
"When we went back on the Sunday morning we got a fright.
She was just lying there, not moving. She looked terrible. We thought she was dead.
The daughter said that she went to the ward's nursing station to alert staff, who tried to revive Mrs Pullar.
"On the Monday we were told she had been given an excessive dose of insulin, " said Natalie.
Mrs Pullar never regained consciousness and died five days later.
Dr Sarah Drury, 26, senior house officer at Monklands Hospital, examined Mrs Pullar on arrival and told the court she had written up a dosage on her notes for her to be given four 'u' (units) of insulin.
She said: "The 'u' had been altered and looked like an 'a' or an 'o', " adding that she did not know who made the change.
The inquiry continues.
Source: Evening Times; Glasgow (UK)
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