Lucan woman stopped breathing due to cocktail of drugs in her system

By Louise Roseingrave

A 39-year-old woman died of the cumulative effect of a number of drugs, all of which are available on prescription, an inquest heard.

Joyce O’Brien of Droim na Coille, Lucan, Co Dublin stopped breathing due to a cocktail of drugs in her system, none of which were present at the level of overdose.

The woman, who was living alone since her partner suffered a stroke, was found dead in her front room on October 22 2015. 

Her father Vincent Joyce, who brought her to the chemist days before her death, said she was in good form.

He was contacted by a neighbour who was concerned as he had not seem Ms Joyce. Dublin Coroner’s Court heard the woman’s parents went to the house and called Gardai, who found Ms Joyce in a collapsed state.

A post mortem report found no injuries to the body but a toxicology report found she had a number of medicines in her system.

These included the anti-epileptic and anti convulsant medication lyrica, the anti-depressant mirtazepine, the sleeping tablet zopiclone, and diazepam (valium) which has a calming effect.

The woman was on a methadone programme, the court heard.

There was no alcohol in her system and her phone had last been used two days before she was found.

Her doctor had prescribed methadone and diazepam (Valium), family members were told. None of the drugs present were at a dangerous level on their own, Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane said and all are commonly prescribed drugs.

The drugs had a depressive effect on the woman’s central nervous system and that affected her breathing.

“They go into a deep sleep and the breathing gets shallower and shallower.

She simply failed to take her next breath,” the coroner said.

The cause of death was central nervous system repression due to the toxic effects of methadone, valium and lyrica.

The coroner returned a verdict of death by misadventure.