Man who died after heart problem was dismissed as anxiety was seen by physician’s associate

A 25-year-old who died from a heart haemorrhage after being diagnosed with a panic attack had been seen by a non-medical school trained physician associate (PA) but not a doctor, it has emerged.

Ben Peters, 25, attended the emergency department at Manchester Royal Infirmary on the morning of 11 Nov 2022 with chest pain, arm ache, a sore throat and shortness of breath.

While waiting, he endured a “severe episode of vomiting”.

Peters was diagnosed with a panic attack and gastric inflammation by the PA and sent home with two medications, after a supervising consultant, who the coroner found never reviewed the patient in person, agreed with the diagnosis.

Less than 24 hours later, Peters died from a rare complication of the heart that had resulted in a tear of the heart’s major artery, known as aortic dissection, and led to a fatal haemorrhage.

The Aortic Dissection Charitable Trust (TADCT) says around 2,000 people in Britain die from the condition each year, which can be “reliably diagnosed or excluded” using a CT scan, but “misdiagnosis affects one-third of patients”.

A prevention of future deaths notice issued by Chris Morris, the area coroner for Greater Manchester South, written to Manchester University Foundation Trust, said: “It is a matter of concern that despite the patient’s reported symptoms, in view of his age and extensive family history of cardiac problems, Mr Peters was discharged from the Ambulatory Care Unit without being examined or reviewed in person by a doctor."

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Source: The Telegraph, 21 October 2023