A woman from Hayes was found dead on her sofa by her partner after he had been away visiting friends, an inquest heard on Tuesday (June 21).
Irene Mary Scrymgeour died on February 26 after her partner of over 10 years, David Wallis, had left her on the sofa of their Station Road home feeling unwell the day before.
During an inquest into the death at West London Coroner's Court,, coroner Chinyere Inyama ruled Ms Scrymgeour's death was alcohol related because of higher levels of a compound found in her body.
In a statement read out at the inquest, Mr Wallis said: “I found my partner on the sofa deceased.
“She was led on her back in a dressing gown with her eyes closed.
“I noticed her lips were blue.”
Mr Wallis called the emergency services who he said arrived within five minutes, but paramedics declared Ms Scrymgeour dead at the scene.
A toxicology report found high levels of beta-Hydroxybutyrate in her body – a compound commonly related with diabetes and excessive alcohol consumption.
But Mr Inyama said Ms Scrymgeour had no history of diabetes.
He concluded: “Irene died of an alcohol related death.”
The cause of death was recorded as alcoholic keto-acidosis, which is when alcohol prevents the pancreas from producing insulin and the body begins to burn fat for energy instead of glucose.
In turn an excessive build up of the by-product ketone which can be fatal.
