A senior coroner expresses worry over the absence of regulation in cold water immersion therapy after ruling a woman’s death as a result of an undiagnosed heart condition triggered by the water.
The unfortunate incident occurred when Kellie Poole, aged 39, entered the River Goyt in Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire on April 25, 2022, leading to her heart stopping shortly after.
Prior to the cold water session, Poole felt fine and was unaware of her hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition where the heart muscles thicken.
Although Breatheolution, the company organizing the session, was not responsible for her death and could not have anticipated Poole’s adverse reaction, Peter Nieto, the senior coroner for Derby and Derbyshire, expressed concerns about the lack of regulation in the industry.
Nieto felt the need to inform authorities about the absence of regulations governing this activity.
In his ruling, Nieto concluded: “Kellie died due to sudden cardiac arrhythmia triggered by immersion in cold water, likely made fatal by an undiagnosed, pre-existing heart condition.
It is probable that the cold water caused her heart to lose rhythm, resulting in sudden cardiac death, with the heart condition preventing any chance of recovery.”
During the two-day inquest at Chesterfield coroner’s court, it was revealed that Poole, from Droylsden in Tameside, Greater Manchester, experienced a headache after entering the water before collapsing, with attempts made to revive her once she was rescued. The water temperature on the day was recorded as 10.7C.
Nieto determined that Poole’s cause of death was sudden cardiac arrhythmia caused by hypertrophic cardiomyopathy due to cold water immersion during Kevin O’Neill’s session, who had inquired about her medical history beforehand.
Nieto added: “She had no clue. There is no evidence suggesting the cold water immersion should not have taken place.”
Furthermore, the court learned that cold water immersion activities operate without regulations, without any legal requirements for written risk assessments or waiver forms.
Poole’s mother called for action, prompting Nieto to consider issuing a report on preventing future deaths to address the matter.
In addition, Nieto expressed his concerns: “Specifically, I am worried about the lack of regulation for individuals running cold water immersion sessions. We have been informed by the Environmental Health Service that there are no statutory or regulatory requirements for those organizing these sessions.”
“It appears to me that this should be examined, whether regulations should be implemented for these businesses and activities.”
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