A Launceston truck driver with a cocaine addiction died four days after a heart operation. Heart issues and drug use were factors.
David had heart issues and drug problems. He also struggled with alcohol. Cocaine can damage the heart. It can even cause death.
The postmortem found cocaine in his system. A friend saw David alive that morning between 6 and 7 am. He found David dead later in his wheelchair about 10:30 am.
The friend called emergency services. They told him to do CPR. David was already clearly dead. Paramedics arrived quickly, but they could not revive him.
The friend said David drank a lot. He had about six to eight pints of lager the night before. He often drank two to three liters of cider daily. David also smoked cannabis and used cocaine.
David had chest pain four days prior. He went to the hospital in Truro. Doctors put in a stent, but he left the hospital against their advice.
The coroner ruled it a drug-related death. David had heart disease, and his cocaine use contributed to his death. His heart problem was the main cause.