|
|
 |
| |
Heroin user died from booze-related infection
A MAN who changed his name to Christian Boyz and was an occasional user of heroin and methadone died from a drink-related infection in his pancreas, an inquest heard on Tuesday.
Mr Boyz, originally called Michael Sweeting, had been trying to shake off his heroin habit and was on a methadone programme when he suddenly collapsed at his home in Barnsbury Park in May.
His partner Louis Dale told St Pancras Coroner’s Court how Mr Boyz had been feverish for a couple of days before he began to struggle to breathe and suddenly lost his power of speech.
He said: “He’d had a bit of a temperature on Thursday. He got up and coughed and started breathing funny and that’s when I called the ambulance.”
Mr Boyz, who was unemployed, drank, smoked and took anti-depressants and anti-psychotic drugs, according to Mr Dale, died within minutes of arriving at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead.
Pathologist Dr Freddy Patel said Mr Boyz died from acute necrotising pancreatitis – an infection “usually associated with chronic alcohol abuse”.
He added: “In people who take excessive alcohol, it damages the pancreas. The enzymes then eat away at the pancreas.
“Then the bacteria from the gut creates an infection, or sepsis.”
Coroner Gail Elliman returned a verdict of death by natural causes.
She said: “While the illness was caused by drinking, the illness itself is a natural cause of death.” |
 |
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
