Recovering addict was not suicidal

10:16am Wednesday 9th August 2006

A RECOVERING heroin addict died after his liver failed to cope with an overdose of medication designed to treat his heart condition, an inquest has heard.

Darren Rendell, 32, was found dead in his flat in Thornford Drive, Westlea, on November 19, 2004 with an autopsy showing he had 11 times the recommended dose of flecainide in his blood.

Mr Rendell had been diagnosed with Wolfe-Parkinson-White Syndrome at an early age, a condition that leads to an abnormal heart rhythm.

Despite having such a high level of the medication in his bloodstream, Wiltshire coroner David Masters said there was insufficient evidence to suggest that Mr Rendell had committed suicide.

The inquest at the Civic Offices in Euclid Street, heard that Mr Rendell was a former heroin addict who had been treated in psychiatric units in Sandalwood Court, Stratton St Margaret.

Evidence from both Mr Rendell's father John, and his psychiatric nurse Stuart Reid, suggested that the former drug addict had shown no intention of self harm.

"I cannot think of any reason why he would have done what he did," Mr Rendell told the inquest.

"He had been on the bottom and he was on the way back up."

The hearing was told that Mr Rendell was looking forward to looking after his two daughters the weekend before his death and had seemed in good spirits, despite undergoing an operation at the dentist's to remove three wisdom teeth.

"He came out as bright as a button," said Mr Rendell's father.

"He was due to stay with his sister after the operation but he said I want to stay in my own place, I have got to stand on my own two feet'."

Mr Rendell said his son felt he was invulnerable to drugs, due to his heavy illicit drug taking in the past, and would often take more than the prescribed dose of his medication.

A statement from his sister Paula said: "He was not depressed and certainly made no mention of suicide."

The court heard that Mr Rendell had been drinking heavily in the weeks leading up to his death but only 28 micrograms of alcohol per litre of blood was found in his system following his death - a comparatively low amount.

He did have high levels of flecainide in his blood - 7,700 micrograms per litre .

However, Dr Adnan Al-Badri, who performed the autopsy on Mr Rendell, said underlying liver damage caused by Hepatitis C and heavy drinking could have resulted in a smaller quantity of flecainide showing such alarming quantities in the blood.

He also said that if Mr Rendell had taken a large quantity of flecainide tablets he would have found some evidence of the medication residue in his stomach.

Mr Masters said: "Darren had reached the bottom and was clearly on the way up - he was progressing.

"He took more flecainide than he should have but it was Dr Al-Badri who provides the key to this scenario.

"It is evident to me Mr Rendell did not take 40 tablets because Dr Al-Badri would have found some evidence of the residue and I propose to record in this instance a verdict of death by misadventure."