Lincoln student, Shane Pueschel, who died after collapsing at Ritzy nightclub had unknown heart condition
A University of Lincoln student who died after a cardiac arrest in a city nightclub had an undiagnosed heart problem, an inquest heard.
Shane Pueschel, 18, collapsed while out with friends in the top floor of Ritzy, in Silver Street.
-
Ritzy nightclub on Silver Street in Lincoln.
He had been seeing doctors for another heart condition, but experts said the problem that contributed to his death would have been difficult to identify.
Dr Mary Sheppard, from the Royal Brompton Hospital in London, said: "You can't detect all these conditions with electrocardiograms.
Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk
View detailsOur heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.
Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk
Contact: 01858 468192
Valid until: Sunday, May 26 2013
"The first manifestation can be sudden death."
Door staff made efforts to resuscitate the first-year undergraduate around seven to eight minutes after his collapse.
But heart expert Dr Sheppard explained CPR would need to have been administered within three to five minutes.
Deputy coroner Richard Marshall recorded a narrative verdict at the conclusion of a two-day inquest on Thursday, March 14.
He explained Mr Pueschel was diagnosed with heart problems at the age of 11 and was having medical consultations in the months before his death.
However, Dr Ajit Agarwal, from West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds, told the inquest these problems did not by themselves indicate he would be a victim of a "catastrophic event".
The student collapsed in Pulse, the bar at the top of a complex of connected clubs, at around 2.26am on January 21, 2012.
Friends moved him to a landing near a fire escape, where two members of security staff took over his care.
Head doorman Mark West, who was the first official "first-aider" on the scene, told the inquest he did not know Mr Pueschel had stopped breathing and chose to eject one of his friends for being aggressive despite being urged to call an ambulance.
Mr West said he immediately began CPR with his colleague David Ridley when he returned to Mr Pueschel at 2.32am after ejecting the friend.
The inquest heard they were joined by a street warden with a defibrillator but the East Midlands Ambulance Service did not receive a 999 call from any member of staff at the club until 2.46 am – 20 minutes after Mr Pueschel collapsed.
Mr Pueschel, who lived in Newland Street West, Lincoln, was shocked a total of six times before his pulse returned.
He was taken to Lincoln County Hospital, but died of brain injuries on January 26, as a result of a lack of oxygen which was caused by the cardiac arrest.
He was described as a shy student who did not normally drink but had been bought four vodka and Red Bull drinks in the club by a friend.
When recording the narrative verdict, Mr Marshall explained he suffered from Ehlers–Danlos syndrome and mitral valve prolapse, for which he was awaiting further investigation.
An MRI scan had been arranged for March, after doctors heard Mr Pueschel had a "jerky motion" in his heart.
However, Dr Sheppard explained even this would not have picked up the undiagnosed complications that were behind his collapse.
"Picking out who is going to die, because they are asymptomatic, is impossible," she said.
Earlier, Dr Sheppard, who is the nation's top expert on such conditions, said the collapse was an "an extremely rare event" with young people.
The inquest was held at Spilsby coroner's court.
Comments