Family of man who died from tear in artery call for increased awareness of deadly condition

The widow of a 34-year-old man who waited nine hours to see a doctor at a Cork hospital having suffered a tear in his aorta, and died after a CT scan was postponed because of a broken machine, is hoping to create more awareness of the condition that claimed his life.

Pat Murphy, who was the “doting” father of a 17-month-old boy, died from an aortic dissection.

The risk of dying can be as high as one per cent to three per cent per hour until the patient gets treatment. It is classed as a medical emergency and requires urgent intervention.

The main symptom is sudden severe tearing pain in your chest or your upper back. The symptoms can be mistaken for a heart attack, acute gastritis, lung pain or kidney stones. Patients can be incorrectly triaged in hospitals as a result of its similarity to other conditions leading to vital hours being lost in what can be a deadly condition.

A two-day inquest at Cork Coroner’s Court this week heard that Pat passed away at Cork University…

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