Queen Elizabeth Hospital investigates death of man, 50, after he is given wrong dosage of drug
Queen Elizabeth Hospital is investigating the death of a 50-year-old man who died days after it gave him an incorrect dosage of a drug to slow down his heart rate.
Queen Elizabeth Hospital is investigating the death of a 50-year-old man who died days after it gave him an incorrect dosage of a drug to slow down his heart rate.
The public hospital's radiology department gave him at least twice the amount of the heartbeat reduction medication he should have received, the was told.
That same day, the man was admitted to the hospital's intensive care unit after collapsing at home, and he died six days later on Monday.
"The hospital is deeply sorry for the incident and would like to extend condolences to the patient's relatives and provide assistance to them," a hospital spokesman said, adding that an investigation panel would be set up to look into the case, with a report expected within eight days. It was understood the patient's relative found the incident "difficult to accept".
The man, who sought medical help after shortness of breath and a swollen liver, was admitted to the hospital last month.
He had high blood sugar and diabetes, and was found to be suffering from heart failure and dilated heart chambers.
Doctors recommended he be prescribed a lower dose of Betaloc - a heart-rate reducing drug to treat high blood pressure - as he had been scheduled for a computed tomography (CT) scan.
He was discharged on July 12 and returned to the hospital for screening on July 29.
But the radiology department prescribed the patient with the normal Betaloc dose and realised doctors' recommended dosage only "upon subsequent checking of the referral record", the spokesman said. He declined to reveal whether it was a doctor, nurse or other medical staff who had given the prescription.
After the screening on July 29, the man collapsed at home and was sent back to the hospital, where he was resuscitated.
On July 31, he had an intra-aortic balloon pump inserted to strengthen his heart function, but his condition continued to deteriorate and he died at 11pm on August 4.
William Chui Chun-ming, president of the Society of Hospital Pharmacists, believed hospital staff responsible for the incident had failed to follow proper procedures in prescribing medication to the patient.
"There should be a protocol in place and staff should have a checklist reminding them to go through the patient's record before giving the medicine."
Chui said Betaloc was known to have side effects for those with slower heart rates and that the dosage should be at least halved to prevent a heart blockage.
There were 31 "serious untoward events" reported at public hospitals in the first three months of the year, statistics showed.
