A WOMAN died from an adverse drug reaction between anti-cholesterol medicine and antibiotics, the coroners court heard yesterday.
Dublin city coroner Dr Brian Farrell will report the case of an adverse drug reaction between statin drug Lipitor and an antibiotic drug to the Irish Medicines Board.
Elizabeth (Lily) Sheridan (84) of Ballyogan Road, Carrickmines, Dublin, was described as “extremely fit and active” by her cousin Thomas Sheridan.
Ms Sheridan had even been riding a bike a few months before being admitted to hospital with hip pain in January 2009, he told the court.
She had a hip replacement operation at St Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin later that month, surgeon Kieran O’Rourke told the court.
The surgery went well but she developed a secondary bleed and an infection in her wound. She was treated with antibiotics for the infection from February 2009.
Ms Sheridan’s antibiotics where changed during her treatment but they included teicoplanin and fusidic acid, flucloxacillin with fusidic acid and doxycycline.
In late February 2009 doctors took her off the drug Lipitor as a precaution because of a rare risk of reaction with antibiotics, Mr O’Rourke said.
Ms Sheridan had been on the anti-cholesterol drug since 2008 due to cardiac problems, the court heard.
However she developed acute rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown) and renal failure. She died on March 12th, 2009.
The pathologist’s report found the cause of death was rhabdomyolysis and renal failure due to probable drug reaction between the statin and an antibiotic, the court heard.
Dr Farrell said it was not possible to say which antibiotic had the adverse reaction with Lipitor. He gave a verdict of death from an adverse drug reaction.
