Overdose killed heart attack man

A heart attack victim died after being given an overdose of an anti-clotting drug, a Bristol inquest has heard.

John Stratton, 57, was admitted to the Bristol Royal Infirmary (BRI) on 15 January, 2004, with chest pains.

Doctors decided Mr Stratton, of Easton-in-Gordano, North Somerset, had had a heart attack.

He was given more than the maximum dose of the anti-coagulant Heparin on top of the anti-clotting agent Reteplase, the continuing inquest heard.

The father-of-two suffered a brain haemorrhage and died six days later.

There was immense pressure of management problems placed on me Senior staff nurse Kelly Cousins

In a statement to the inquest, Mr Stratton's wife, Christine, said a nurse at the BRI likened the A&E department on the morning he was admitted to Beirut.

Mrs Stratton wrote: "It was a series of blunders that could have been avoided if protocols were used throughout the hospital."

Senior staff nurse Kelly Cousins said the department had been short-staffed with eight instead of 10 nurses on duty.

She admitted making a mistake in telling a fellow nurse to administer 1,400 units of Heparin per hour instead of the maximum of 1,000 units.

She said if Mr Stratton had not had Reteplase, it would have been the correct dose.

She told the inquest: "I am extra careful now when asked clinical advice.

"There was immense pressure of management problems placed on me."