THE distraught family of York pensioner Edith O'Connor heard that the "psychological burden" of knowing she had been given the wrong medication in hospital could have contributed to her death.

But York coroner Donald Coverdale said at yesterday's inquest that he must record a verdict of death by natural causes on the 91-year-old because the psychological effect of the mistake was purely speculative.

Mrs O'Connor, of The Village, Strensall, who had severe heart disease, and had suffered a heart attack in 1977, was admitted to York Hospital on July 13 last year with breathlessness and low blood pressure.

The inquest heard that on July 16 she was mistakenly administered 30 milligrams of the cardiac drug Diltiazem instead of the intended isosorbide mononitrate.

The mistake was quickly identified and Mrs O'Connor was told of the problem. When her family visited her in hospital later that day she was found to be very distressed. She died soon after.

Dr James Sunter, consultant pathologist at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, told the court that diltiazem was similar in its effects to isosorbide mononitrate and was very unlikely to have contributed to her death, which was due to acute heart failure.

When asked by Mrs O'Connor's granddaughter, who was not named in court, whether the "psychological burden" of knowing what had happened had contributed to her death, Dr Sunter said it could have had some effect.

He said: "It is possible that the knowledge that this problem existed might have become an extra burden on her heart, which was already the site of severe disease."

But Mr Coverdale said: "One can say that it's possible that it (the mistake) may have caused her such distress that it was a contribution to her death.

"But it can only be speculation. It's not the sort of issue that can be proved in any certainty."

Updated: 12:26 Thursday, September 16, 2004