Bassetlaw woman had ‘potentially fatal concentration’ of antipsychotic drug in her system
A woman who died at Bassetlaw Hospital had a “potentially fatal concentration” of an antipsychotic drug in her system, an inquest has heard.
Julie Isabelle Burns was found collapsed and unresponsive by her husband at their home on September 25 last year, said assistant coroner Sarah Wood.
He administered CPR until an ambulance team took over and she was taken to hospital.
Sadly resuscitation was unsuccessful and she passed away, at the age of 69, at 04.05am the following day.
A toxicology report found there was a “potentially fatal concentration” of the antipsychotic drug Venlafaxine in her system.
The coroner said Mrs Burns had been treated over several decades for a long-term schizoaffective disorder, which manifested as paranoia, depression and disturbed sleep.
She had been prescribed antipsychotic drugs, including Venlafaxine and Quetiapine, as well as Procyclidine, a medication used to treat drug-induced side effects caused by antipsychotics.
The inquest heard she had a complex set of mental and physical conditions and had been bedbound after fracturing her neck in a fall in May 2025. As a result she was increasingly dependent on her husband and carers who visited four times daily.
She had also recently been diagnosed with mixed dementia, the inquest heard.
When she was assessed in March 2023 a psychiatrist found there was a “high likelihood” that her progressive cognitive decline was linked to her long-term use of antipsychotic medication.
However, both Mrs Burns and her family were reluctant to change the medication as they were concerned about the consequences.
Subsequent visits to her home by health workers found Mrs Burns clean and well-groomed, and steps had been taken to ensure she didn’t fall again. But her physical health continued to deteriorate, her ability to eat food was severely reduced, and her weight dropped to under 40 kgs.
Due to her associated physical problems she became very frail and was unable to recover when she contracted bronchopneumonia.
Recording a narrative conclusion, the coroner said the cause of Mrs Burns’ death was acute bronchopneumonia, with Venlafaxine toxicity, against a background of ischemic heart disease, and her lengthy history of complex mental and physical conditions.
The coroner ended the inquest on Wednesday by expressing her sincere condolences to Mrs Burns’ family and friends.