Blood test bungle linked to paracetamol overdose death
The patient missed out on life-saving treatment due to confusion over the timing of the tests, says SA Deputy State Coroner
The death of a patient who missed out on the antidote for paracetamol overdose due to confusion over the timing of blood tests has prompted a call for hospitals to mandate more tests.
As a “fail-safe” measure, SA Deputy State Coroner Anthony Schapel says patients hospitalised with paracetamol overdose should undergo blood tests to determine the drug’s concentration four hours after admission.
