Diabetic died after failing to eat meal

A YOUNG man who suffered from diabetes and had frequent hypo-glycaemic attacks died after failing to eat his breakfast, an inquest heard.

Rowan Harper had low blood-sugar level on the day he died, which caused him to have an abnormal heart rhythm. In turn, his blood pressure dropped, affecting the supply of oxygen to his brain, causing brain damage and an irreversible collapse.

The 22-year-old of Everton Road, Gamlingay, died on December 8 last year at his home.

The inquest, in Huntingdon, on Thursday heard that his mother, Gwen, would take him tea and cereal when he woke up each morning. His breakfast was important for his health as he suffered from hypo-glycaemic attacks, which caused him to lose focus, to shake and slur his words, about every three months.

The court heard on the day he died, he had seemed fine when his breakfast was taken in.

However, the inquest heard that he possibly became distracted and he did not eat immediately.

He was found in the early evening at 5.45pm, collapsed on his bedroom floor, his breakfast was untouched. He was placed in the recovery position but soon after stopped breathing.

He was later found to have a high insulin level but a low blood sugar level. He had given himself his insulin injection, but without his breakfast, the insulin had nothing to work on.

Mr Harper, who worked with animals at a rescue centre, had been diagnosed diabetic at 12.

Dr Mushtaq Rahman, a consultant at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, said: "We were pretty shocked at Rowan's death. He had made real efforts to control his diabetes, though he had frequent severe hypo-glycaemic attacks."

Dr Rahman said Mr Harper's insulin regime had been reviewed and changed in the months before his death.

The coroner, Dr Colin Lattimore, recorded a verdict of death by natural causes.