An inquest has concluded that a 24-year-old student’s death was caused by her substance abuse of nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas. Ellen Mercer died in hospital in February 2023, two weeks after being left bedbound by burning her legs with a canister of nitrous oxide. The use of the gas for personal possession was not illegal at the time of Ms Mercer’s death, but it was classified as a class C drug in November of that year.
Berkshire’s senior coroner, Heidi Connor, determined that Ms Mercer’s death was caused by her substance abuse and a blood clot. Nitrous oxide is frequently utilized as a pain reliever in medicine and dentistry, with the combination of oxygen known as “gas and air” helping to reduce pain during childbirth. At the inquest, it was revealed that Ms Mercer inhaled two to three “big bottles” of nitrous oxide a day, leading to a bilateral pulmonary thromboembolism, deep vein thrombosis, and “long-term complications of nitrous oxide use.”
Despite the fact that she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, authorities failed to follow up on Ms Mercer’s mental health review. An emergency medical technician who attended Ms Mercer’s home discovered a bare room with a severely stained duvet, implying that she was vulnerable. At the hospital, staff failed to perform a test that could have determined that Ms Mercer was at an increased risk of developing a blood clot, although Mrs Connor concluded that this did not cause her death.
Mrs Connor stated that abuse was a “significant cause” of Ms Mercer’s immobility and emphasized the dangers of using nitrous oxide. “Ellen Mercer’s death was caused by nitrous oxide abuse and immobility that led to the development of a pulmonary embolism,” she said. “This case has highlighted how hugely dangerous it is to use nitrous oxide.
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