Ex-mayor died after heart failed

9:50am Saturday 12th May 2012 in Local

A FORMER Westhoughton mayor died after his heart stopped as he was being taken to hospital by ambulance, an inquest heard.

Ronald Halliwell, who was a Liberal Democrat member of Westhoughton town council from 1999 to 2007, and Mayor in 2004 to 2005, died on February 22.

the 78-year-old was being moved from his home in Henry Street, Westhoughton, to an ambulance when his heart stopped, Bolton Coroner’s Court was told.

the father of two was pronounced dead at the Royal Bolton Hospital later that day.

the inquest heard that the former joiner, who had worked with asbestos, was diagnosed with incurable pulmonary fibrosis five months before his death. He suffered from breathlessness and was being treated with oxygen.

On the day he died, mr Halliwell’s symptoms had worsened and his GP had requested an ambulance to take him to hospital.

at the inquest, mr Halliwell’s wife, Florence, and his daughters, Karen Humphreys and Janet Halliwell, criticised paramedics for asking mr Halliwell to slide down the stairs on his bottom, rather than carry him in a chair.

But deputy coroner Alan Walsh accepted it was up to the paramedics to determine the best way to move a patient.

He recorded a verdict of natural causes and said mr Halliwell’s death was not caused by asbestos.

After the inquest, Mrs Humphreys said: “He put family first every time and gave a lot back to the community. it is a great loss, not just to us but to Westhoughton.”

Teams at University of Leicester found that by analysing protein in the urine of pregnant women they could predict which would later develop pre-eclampsia which affects around five per cent of pregnancies.

Currently the amount of protein in urine is measured at regular ante-natal check-ups and if levels rise it can indicate that the woman may be at risk.

There is no cure for pre-eclampsia other than to deliver the baby early but those at risk may be able to take preventive measures such as taking low-dose aspirin and calcium supplements.

The team led by Dr Matt Hall, of the Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation at the University of Leicester, found that the composition of the proteins at around 18 weeks gestation accurately predicted the risk of pre-eclampsia.

The researchers recruited 145 patients at risk of pre-eclampsia from Leicester Royal Infirmary early in pregnancy, 11 of whom subsequently developed pre-eclampsia.

An analysis of urine samples obtained prior to week 20 revealed a panel of five proteins that correctly predicted pre-eclampsia with 92 per cent accuracy.

Dr Hall said: “Our study suggests that changes in levels of certain proteins in the urine early in pregnancy can predict who will develop pre-eclampsia about five months before symptoms develop.

“although these results do not give us a cure for pre-eclampsia, early identification of women at highest risk will allow focused monitoring and timely delivery of their babies, as well as reassurance for women found to be low risk.”