A HEART attack victim lived on for more than two days at York District Hospital after relatives were told he had died.
A York inquest was told that a doctor mistakenly made the diagnosis after attempts to revive 81-year-old John Friend, of Belmont Close, Rawcliffe, had apparently failed.
The pensioner then resumed breathing and his heart re-started. His wife and family were told the next morning that he was still alive. He eventually died two-and-a-half days later.
Coroner Donald Coverdale, recording a verdict of death by natural causes, said he was satisfied that Mr Friend had suffered irreversible brain damage in the original heart attack. He said it would not have been possible to save him, even if the wrong diagnosis had not been made.
Updated: 16:30 Wednesday, July 03, 2002
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