UK: Call for regulation after cold water therapy death, 2023

[John Mac]

A woman has called for cold water therapy to be regulated after an inquest heard her daughter suffered a "sudden cardiac death".

Kellie Poole, 39, died on 25 April 2022 after collapsing back into the River Goyt in Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire.

Expert Dr Damian Kelly, when asked if the cold water could have triggered cardiac arrest, said: "Yes, I think that is what has happened."

Ms Poole's mother, Diane Service, said regulation could save someone else.

"I can't believe that these activities are not regulated," she said. "I know it is nobody's fault, but I just can't believe it.

"It is a change that needs to come very soon. It is too late for Kellie, but not for someone else."

Ms Poole, from Droylsden in Tameside, Greater Manchester, had been attending the session with two friends.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-66923083

 

[DokaGirl]

A woman has called for cold water therapy to be regulated after an inquest heard her daughter suffered a "sudden cardiac death".

Kellie Poole, 39, died on 25 April 2022 after collapsing back into the River Goyt in Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire.

Expert Dr Damian Kelly, when asked if the cold water could have triggered cardiac arrest, said: "Yes, I think that is what has happened."

Ms Poole's mother, Diane Service, said regulation could save someone else.

"I can't believe that these activities are not regulated," she said. "I know it is nobody's fault, but I just can't believe it.

"It is a change that needs to come very soon. It is too late for Kellie, but not for someone else."

Ms Poole, from Droylsden in Tameside, Greater Manchester, had been attending the session with two friends.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-66923083

Being immersed in cold water has been known to cause heart attacks.

The idea that cold water immersion can cure ME has been promoted.

Probably, cold water immersion has been promoted as a beneficial treatment for many things.

 

[Trish]

A post-mortem examination, carried out by consultant pathologist Dr Abed Zaitoun, recorded her cause of death as sudden cardiac death, caused by left ventricular hypertrophy, a thickening of the walls of the lower left heart chamber.

Giving his evidence, Dr Zaitoun said Ms Poole was obese and her heart was heavier than expected, which could have contributed to her death.

He said: "In my opinion, it is all related to the weight. The larger the weight of the body, the harder the heart has to work for that body.

"That in time increases the weight of the heart.

"[Cold water] might have had an effect on the cardiac function and might link to sudden death."

Dr Zaitoun said he could not be certain that cold water had caused the sudden cardiac event, as this would change based on temperature and how familiar a person was with being in cold water, but agreed it could have contributed.

It sounds like anyone running cold water therapy should be getting people's hearts checked first.