By CASEY NEILL
DOVETON Medical Clinic has overhauled its records system after a patient died from conflicting medications.
Dandenong woman Margareta Snopek, 67, died at Dandenong Hospital in March 2008 from lithium toxicity and a chest infection.
Coroner Heather Spooner last July held an inquest into her death after her family expressed concerns about her medical management.
GP Doctor Anu Achar prescribed Mrs Snopek Coversyl for high blood pressure at Doveton Medical Clinic two months before her death.
Mrs Snopek had been taking lithium for many years for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
The Coroner heard that lithium was excreted almost entirely by the kidneys, and that Coversyl worked in the kidneys to reduce high blood pressure.
This can stop the kidneys from effectively excreting lithium and cause lithium toxicity.
Mrs Snopek was admitted to Dandenong Hospital on 9 March following several falls, and blood tests revealed a lithium level double the normal range. She died 10 days later.
Bernadette Snopek told the inquest that Dr Achar did not warn her mother about the potential medication clash.
Dr Achar said the clinic’s computer system “did not give a warning in relation to the interaction because lithium was not in the patient’s list of medications in the computer file”.
Releasing her finding on 5 February, Ms Spooner said the clinic should have ensured the appropriate lithium monitoring and testing occurred, and utilised the computer system.
She recommended the clinic undertake regular audits to ensure each patient had a legible individual health record, and record all allergies and medications electronically.
A Doveton Medical Clinic spokeswoman said the centre had received documentation relating to the findings.
“Prior to the recent publication of the recommendations, they were implemented in our clinic,” she said.
Mrs Snopek’s husband Josip declined to comment on the finding.
