- Chloe Waddell died after suffering from an undiagnosed serious heart defect
- Had been training four times a week in hope of making 2016 Rio team
- She had a heart almost twice the normal size for a girl her age, experts said
- The night before her death she became unwell after drinking alcohol
- Â Combination of her natural disease
process and alcohol consumption resulted in her having cardiac
arrhythmia or cardiac arrest, coroner ruled
By
Anna Hodgekiss
10:04 EST, 25 July 2013
|
11:45 EST, 25 July 2013
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A teenage Olympic swimming hopeful died after suffering from an undiagnosed serious heart defect, an inquest heard.
Chloe Waddell, 16, endured 5am training starts four days a week as well as evening sessions in the hope of representing Team GB at Rio in 2016.
But Miss Waddell, from Timperley, Cheshire, who had already represented her country in the sport, had a heart almost twice the normal size for a girl her age, the inquest at Manchester Coroner’s Court heard.
Teenage Olympic swimming hopeful Chloe Waddell died after suffering from an undiagnosed serious heart defect
Miss Waddell endured 5am training starts four days a week as well as evening sessions in the hope of representing Team GB at Rio in 2016
Just hours before her death on
February 3 this year, her mother Fiona told the hearing she had sent her
daughter a text congratulating her on winning a clutch of awards at her
local swimming club’s presentation night.
She
was found unresponsive in her bed the next morning by her father David
after attending a party with other youngsters at a friend’s house.
Miss Waddell had become unwell at the party after downing vodka shots and cider and
the alcohol may have interfered with her natural heart rhythm, although
she could have died at any time from the condition, the inquest heard.
She had a heart almost twice the normal size for a girl her age, an inquest heard
Coroner Nigel Meadows, giving a
narrative verdict, said: ‘There’s a combination of natural disease and
the unnatural effects of alcohol.
‘Chloe
suffered from undiagnosed hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which is a
serious heart condition which can lead to unexpected and sudden death.
‘A combination of her natural disease
process and alcohol consumption resulted in her having cardiac
arrhythmia or cardiac arrest, from which she could not be resuscitated.
‘Chloe had no idea she had this heart condition, you would not know and no-one was to know.
‘It’s very likely, in my judgment, at some point Chloe was going to have a serious problem.’
The teenager had competed in Olympic trials against Rebecca Adlington and had swum at the National and British Championships in the 200m, 400m, 800m freestyle and open water events.
She had also been selected to attend British Swimming talent camps including an open water development camp last year after winning a bronze medal in the 800m freestyle at the UK School Games.
Miss Waddell, a member of both Swim Trafford and Altrincham Swimming Club, had been at an awards ceremony the evening before, where she was presented with an outstanding achievement award.
Her mother said her daughter did four 5am swimming sessions along with four evening sessions each week.
After her parents accompanied her to the swimming club awards, Miss Waddell went on to the party at a friend’s house.
Miss Waddell was found unresponsive in her bed by her father David after attending a party the night before. The inquest heard that alcohol may have interfered with her natural heart rhythm, although she could have died at any time from the condition
Mrs Waddell told the inquest: ‘I sent her a text partway through the evening, she should be very proud of herself for the awards she got.’
Around 11.30pm her parents went to fetch Chloe home from the party as she was feeling unwell.
Mrs Waddell said her daughter was ‘very apologetic’ and, although she had been drinking, did not appear very drunk and was still walking and talking and awake.
During the night Miss Waddell got up several times and had been sick in a bucket at the side of her bed.
At around 8am her father went in to check on her.
Mr Waddell noticed her lips were discoloured and she was cool to the touch.
An ambulance was called while her mother attempted CPR and she was rushed to Wythenshawe Hospital but doctors were unable to save her.
Karan Mahadad, a friend of Miss Waddell who
held the party, said around 15 youngsters attended and he thought the teenager had drunk a can of Strongbow cider and ‘five or six’ shots of vodka and
had later been sick.
The coroner said that Miss Waddell suffered from undiagnosed hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a serious heart condition which can lead to unexpected and sudden death
She was taken to a bedroom to lie down and given water before her parents arrived to collect her.
Dr Michael Scott, who carried out the post-mortem examination, said tests showed the alcohol in Chloe’s system was around twice the drink-drive limit when she left the party.
He also said the teenager’s heart was much bigger and heavier than normal and almost twice the size it should be in girls her age.
Dr Scott said her condition, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, only affects one in every 500 people and is caused by a mutation in genes. It is nothing to do with straining the heart through physical exercise due to her swimming.
He said the condition can have no symptoms and it particularly affects young people because the heart grows quickly during adolescence.
He added: ‘I think she could have died at any time in the future.’
For more information on sudden cardiac death visit: http://www.c-r-y.org.uk/
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Your comments: schools here in the US have recently begun testing students going out for sports.. they have found several boys in this area with heart conditions that could be serious with physical activity. Chest x-ray would have turned up this girls enlarged heart, i would imagine but there are other more accurate scans and they really should be mandatory for kids wanting to start sports activities. would save a lot of grief afterwards
Betsy_Ross_1776
,
USA,
25/7/2013 20:08
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I’m a little surprised,as an Olympic hopeful, she didn’t have any xrays done of her chest. of course there were probably no signs either but I thought when you get into more competitive sports they do a more thorough physical? I don’t know as I am talentless in sports.
foxie
,
Washington State, United States,
25/7/2013 19:49
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People should be entitled to mandatory heart scans on request. This happens all too often.
– rugbyfan2012 , Loughborough, United Kingdom, 25/7/2013 18:27
Exactly. When I went to my GP I was refused an ECG and/or scan because I didn’t have symptoms of heart disease or a family history of heart problems. The point is many heart defects don’t have symptoms. It’s ridiculous that people are refused such quick and cheap procedures simply because they don’t present all the classic symptoms. Everyone should be entitled to a regular health check-up just to make sure everything’s OK, because often by the time people develop symptoms, it’s already too late.
Bri
,
UK,
25/7/2013 19:41
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My 14 year old daughter is screened for this condition every year and has so far tested clear. Her father has the condition, and has a defribralator implant fitted. Her late granmother passed away in her 30?s and her late great grandfather had the condition also. Next year my daughter will be genetically tested to see if she carries the gene. Even if she does it may mean that she won’t develope the condition but she could pass it onto her children or her childrens children…..we refuse to worry about it and I have everything crossed that next year her genetic test will show she doesn’t carry the gene. Sincere condolences to Chloe’s family and friends. xxx
Queen Bee
,
Hampshire,
25/7/2013 19:37
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Such a sad loss of a talented young girl. I have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, but am one of the lucky ones. My condition is relatively mild and was diagnosed, so I have an implanted defibrillator (ICD) and some medication. It also means I am aware of my limitations. The Cardiomyopathy Association provides support for patients and families living with cardiomyopathy, campaigns for heightened awareness of this silent killer and works with the medical profession to develop screening processes. As Carrie has said, screening should be widely available, especially to those youngsters taking their sports seriously. My thought are with Chloe’s family and friends.
Matt
,
Stratford-upon-Avon,
25/7/2013 19:30
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News does not get any worse then the loss of kids, terrible loss for the family and friends..
R.I.P Chloe
powertalk
,
warrington,
25/7/2013 18:53
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Heart breaking and so sad.
The thing is so many of these deaths could be avoided if the government could fund tests for all teenagers or at least all those involved with sport .
It wastes so much money needlessly like funding security in Buckleburry and such , yet cannot fund simple tests to save lives .
Poppy
,
Londonderry,
25/7/2013 18:40
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People should be entitled to mandatory heart scans on request. This happens all too often.
rugbyfan2012
,
Loughborough, United Kingdom,
25/7/2013 18:27
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This is so tragic, my thoughts are with her family RIP Chloe. xx
clairec
,
northumberland, United Kingdom,
25/7/2013 18:16
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how do you know if you have any heart defects? is there any tests you can do? RIP xxx
jessy
,
london, United Kingdom,
25/7/2013 18:15
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