A father of three tragically passed away due to excessive water consumption following medical advice. The family of 59-year-old Sean O’Donnell took legal action against St Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin, claiming that he died from water intoxication after being instructed to consume excessive amounts of water. This condition, also known as water poisoning or hyperhydration, occurs when the body’s electrolyte balance is disrupted, leading to brain function impairment.
Sean experienced brain swelling, seizures, and cardiac arrest before his untimely death. He had visited the hospital for a routine procedure on January 20, during which he was given local anesthesia. Despite the procedure going smoothly, he was advised to consume a large quantity of water, and by 7 pm, he had passed away.
The Dublin High Court disclosed that a mental distress payment of €35,000 (£29,000) was made to Sean’s family in acknowledgment of the situation. Sean’s partner, Gail McGuinness, filed a lawsuit against the hospital, alleging that he was encouraged to drink dangerous levels of water, leading to his brain swelling, seizures, and eventual death. She claimed that the hospital neglected to monitor Sean adequately post-procedure and failed to provide appropriate treatment as his condition worsened.
It was revealed that Sean developed hyponatremia, a condition characterized by abnormally low sodium levels in the blood. The hospital admitted to breaching its duty of care, and an inquest confirmed that Sean was the first patient to experience such an incident related to water intoxication.