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| Max Clifford inquest: Publicist died of natural causes | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Disgraced publicist Max Clifford died of natural causes after collapsing in a prisoner shower, a coroner has ruled. | |
| Clifford, 74, collapsed at Littlehey Prison, Cambridgeshire, where he was serving an eight-year sentence for historical sex offences. | Clifford, 74, collapsed at Littlehey Prison, Cambridgeshire, where he was serving an eight-year sentence for historical sex offences. |
| He died at Hinchingbrooke Hospital, near Huntingdon, on 10 December 2017. | He died at Hinchingbrooke Hospital, near Huntingdon, on 10 December 2017. |
| His inquest heard he could have received better care if his heart condition had been diagnosed sooner. | His inquest heard he could have received better care if his heart condition had been diagnosed sooner. |
| Clifford had complained of shortness of breath to a prison GP in July 2017 and an ultrasound of his heart was carried out two months later, the three-day hearing in Peterborough was told. | Clifford had complained of shortness of breath to a prison GP in July 2017 and an ultrasound of his heart was carried out two months later, the three-day hearing in Peterborough was told. |
| Assistant coroner Simon Milburn said that if the ultrasound had been referred from a general cardiologist at Hinchingbrooke to a specialist for a second opinion, it "probably" would have led to a diagnosis of cardiac AL amyloidosis. | |
| The rare condition - caused by a build-up of abnormal proteins in organs and tissues - was not diagnosed until the days before Clifford's death. | The rare condition - caused by a build-up of abnormal proteins in organs and tissues - was not diagnosed until the days before Clifford's death. |
| 'Ice-cold showers' | |
| Mr Milburn said that an earlier diagnosis would not have prolonged Clifford's life but could have helped "optimise his treatment and relieve his symptoms". | Mr Milburn said that an earlier diagnosis would not have prolonged Clifford's life but could have helped "optimise his treatment and relieve his symptoms". |
| Cardiologists made clinical decisions "based on the evidence and symptoms [they] saw at the time", he said. | Cardiologists made clinical decisions "based on the evidence and symptoms [they] saw at the time", he said. |
| A post-mortem examination recorded the cause of death as congestive heart failure. | A post-mortem examination recorded the cause of death as congestive heart failure. |
| The coroner has asked Prof Jonathan Townend, a consultant cardiologist at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, to carry out a review of Clifford's cardiac care. | The coroner has asked Prof Jonathan Townend, a consultant cardiologist at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, to carry out a review of Clifford's cardiac care. |
| His daughter Louise had earlier raised her father's complaints about "ice-cold showers and cold cells", and claimed "his dying months lacked humanity and dignity". | His daughter Louise had earlier raised her father's complaints about "ice-cold showers and cold cells", and claimed "his dying months lacked humanity and dignity". |
| A statement read out after the inquest said a "second opinion" of his condition "should have been sought". | A statement read out after the inquest said a "second opinion" of his condition "should have been sought". |
| "This would have led to improved treatment and comfort and allowed Max to make arrangements for the last few months of his life," the family's solicitor Neil Cronin said. | "This would have led to improved treatment and comfort and allowed Max to make arrangements for the last few months of his life," the family's solicitor Neil Cronin said. |
| "This was taken away from him." | "This was taken away from him." |