A North Wales mum whose daughter died when her “alarm clock” was triggered, yesterday won her five-year battle for a new inquest.
Nurse Lisa Browne suffered Long QT Syndrome – but it was only discovered after an inquest, which recorded an open verdict.
Experts said then they could not find a reason why she died in January 1998 – but tests by Swedish geneticists later showed she had the genetic electrical abnormality in her heart.
Lisa’s sister Rachel was also diagnosed with the defect after she had tests and had surgery to fit a pacemaker, called an ICD. Three years ago she was asleep when son Adam woke up screaming and the sudden noise caused Rachel’s heart to stop. The ICD kick started her heart.
And Adam was also diagnosed with the disorder while other family members carry the gene.
Lisa’s parents, Terrence and Doreen Harley, of Halkyn View, Connah’s Quay, Deeside, say it is in the public interest for a fresh inquest to be called.
Doreen, a regional representative for the charity Cardiac risk in the Young (CRY), set up screening sessions in Flintshire for young people. Out of 79 tested, seven were found to have cardiac problems they were not aware of.
Mrs Harley previously said: “Neither of us could ever accept that she died for no reason.
“Finally, to put everything in place we need a death certificate showing the new cause of death. It is definitely the case that she had Long QT Syndrome and she died when her alarm clock went off.”
Yesterday at London’s High Court Mrs Justice Hallett and Mr Justice Nelson ordered coroner Nicholas Rheinberg to hold a new inquest into the death of Lisa, a paediatric nurse at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
In written submissions to the judges, barrister Keith Morton said 27-year-old Mrs Browne was prescribed a drug to counter depression when her Long QT Syndrome was misdiagnosed, and it could have exacerbated her condition.
He added that it was previously believed that Long QT Syndrome could not be diagnosed following death, but as a result of Mrs Browne’s case, that is no longer true.
The barrister argued both points raised matters of ‘public importance.’
Mr Morton said relatives of other Long QT Syndrome victims could benefit from “post mortem diagnosis” as they too could have the disease.
And he added that, if doctors knew the dangers of prescribing drugs that could have a detrimental effect on Long QT Syndrome sufferers, lives could be saved.
No date was set for the new inquest which will take place in front of Chester coroner Mr Rheinberg.
The court heard Mrs Browne suffered stomach cramps, throat infections, bowel pains and other complaints but Long QT Syndrome was never diagnosed while she was alive.
Read more about Long QT Syndrome
