Blood clot mum's death link to Pill.A BIRMINGHAM mother-of-two was killed by a blood clot blood clot n. A semisolid, gelatinous mass of coagulated blood that consists of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in a fibrin network. within days of undergoing routine surgery because she was overweight and taking a controversial contraceptive pill, an inquest ruled. Cleaner Amanda Hopkins, 28, was discovered dead on the bathroom floor by her three and six-year-old sons at their home in Woodgate Valley. Surgeons from Selly Oak Hospital said they told the 5ft 5ins patient she faced an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis A blood clot (thrombos) in a vein deep within the muscle, typically in the thigh or calf. It is caused by disease or the lack of activity such as sitting for hours at a computer screen. because she weighed 14 stone and was taking the Dianette contraceptive pill. Recent studies found some types of pill were linked with a higher risk of blood clot. But the inquest heard Amanda was allowed her to have the varicose vein varicose vein, superficial vessel that is abnormally lengthened, twisted, or dilated, seen most often on the legs and thighs. Varicose veins develop spontaneously, and are usually attributed to a hereditary weakness of the vein; the valves in the vein that keep the operation as the procedure was considered "low-to-medium risk". Ms Hopkins' father Graham Hopkins told how he called the house ten days after the operation to hear his grandchildren say: "Mummy's dead and lying on the floor." "I don't know how long Amanda had been there, but I knew straight away she was dead," said Mr Hopkins. "The children were still in their night-clothes. One of the boys was running round, shouting, because he couldn't get his mother up and the other was sitting in front of the TV. "Amanda had suffered with varicose veins for three years and always wore trousers because she was paranoid about them. She wanted to try for another baby with her partner after the operation." Despite national guidance that patients on the pill should stop medication for four weeks before an operation, the inquest heard surgeons at Selly Oak Hospital had a ruling that patients could continue taking their tablets as research showed the risk of a clot from an unwanted pregnancy unwanted pregnancy Obstetrics A pregnancy that is not desired by one or both biologic parents. See Teen pregnancy. was greater. In a bid to prevent complications, they prescribed stockings and daily anticlotting injections for the patient after releasing her from hospital. Nurse Rachel Wheeler, from Woodgate Valley Health Centre, said she saw Ms Hopkins five days before her death but had not referred her to GPs when she complained of breathlessness - a classic symptom of thrombosis. Birmingham coroner Aidan Cotter returned a narrative verdict that Ms Hopkins died suddenly and unexpectedly on March 17 last year from a massive pulmonary embolism Pulmonary Embolism Definition Pulmonary embolism is an obstruction of a blood vessel in the lungs, usually due to a blood clot, which blocks a coronary artery. . He said it was probably caused by one or more of surgery, being overweight and the contraceptive pill taken for reason other than contraceptive purposes. CAPTION(S): TRAGIC: Amanda Hopkins, 28, who died |
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