A CORONER has concluded an Oldbury man’s death was drug related.

Gurdeep Singh Briah, of Victoria Road, died at Sandwell General Hospital on December 28 2019 after suffering a cardiac arrest.

The married 40-year-old machine operator had returned home on the evening of December 27 with a high temperature and shivering – Black Country Coroner’s Court was told.

He took a Lemsip and went to bed and the following morning he seemed okay but complained of having a headache so he took a painkiller and went to bed.

The family, however, later called for an ambulance and he was admitted to Sandwell General Hospital.

Joanne Lees, area coroner for the Black Country, said Mr Briah had been unwell for three weeks and in the hours prior to his admission he had a high heart rate, high breathing rate and his blood pressure was unrecordable.

Mrs Lees told the inquest: “As he entered the resuscitation area he went into respiratory arrest and then into cardiac arrest. Sadly despite resuscitation attempts resuscitation was unsuccessful and he was sadly confirmed as having passed away.”

Toxicology reports revealed the presence of cocaine and cocaethylene along with high levels of alcohol, the coroner said and she explained that cocaethylene forms when cocaine is taken while alcohol is in the blood stream and it may prolong the stimulant effects of cocaine and ease its comedown effects.

Mr Briah was found to be more than three times over the legal drink driving limit, the coroner said and she told the inquest the cause of death was multi drug toxicity.

She added: “It’s clear there was evidence of alcohol, cocaine and cocaethylene in the system of Mr Briah at the time of his death.”

Mrs Lees offered her “sincere condolences” to Mr Briah’s family as she concluded his death was drug related.