NHS Nurse Dies After Misdiagnosis: Thoracic Aortic Dissection Mistaken for Indigestion

Her family has raised accusations of inadequate medical care against the hospital.

A 47-year-old NHS nurse from Tameside, Greater Manchester, passed away just three days following her discharge from hospital, where medical professionals incorrectly diagnosed her heart attack as indigestion, according to inquest findings. Metro reports that Paula Ivers visited the A&E department at Tameside Hospital in March 2024, presenting with what she described to her partner as 'crushing' and 'horrendous' chest pain that was "worse than childbirth."

Despite presenting with severe symptoms and having a family history of cardiac problems, Ivers was directed to a Same Day Emergency Care unit. After chest X-ray and blood tests revealed no abnormalities and her vital signs appeared within normal ranges, doctors assured her that the pain was merely "trapped wind" or indigestion, suggesting she purchase Gaviscon for relief.

Tragically, three days later, her 9-year-old daughter discovered her collapsed on the bedroom floor. Medical examination revealed Paula had suffered a thoracic aortic dissection—a tear in the major blood vessel supplying the heart—which resulted in internal bleeding and cardiac arrest.

The inquest at Stockport Coroner's Court revealed that her condition had been severely underestimated, and the chest pain she reported was likely an early warning sign of a serious cardiac issue that went untreated.

This case has prompted concerns regarding how chest pain symptoms are assessed in emergency departments, particularly for women, whose heart attack symptoms are frequently misinterpreted.

The family has claimed the hospital failed in its diagnostic and care responsibilities. Her sister, also working as a nurse, described the situation as a "cruel irony" that her sibling, who strongly advocated for the NHS, was "let down in the worst way possible" when she most needed care, according to the Manchester Evening News.

Paula's husband expressed their shock, stating, "We were shocked to have lost her when we were told it was indigestion and there was nothing to worry about."

During the inquest, Dr. Osama Ahmed, an emergency medicine consultant at Tameside, admitted he had reviewed Paula Ivers' ECG results but hadn't physically examined her. He testified that he now acknowledges she wasn't a low-risk patient and should have been immediately hospitalized, though he noted that aortic dissection is an uncommon condition.