A woman who suffered with depression and drug use died after her health quickly deteriorated.
Lisa Stryker, 39, from Claypool Road in Horwich, had taken drugs for most of her life, according to her partner, Andrew Hargreaves, and was struggling with depression.
Miss Stryker died at Salford Royal Hospital on August 16 after her drug use led to complications to the heart and she suffered a stroke.
Mr Hargreaves’ statement was read out at Bolton Coroners' Court by coroner Stephen Teasdale and described Miss Stryker as someone who took heroin "every time she felt she was depressed".
The lead up to Miss Stryker’s death was the anniversary of her dad's death, and Miss Stryker had been to the GP to discuss her depression with a doctor who gave her medication.
Mr Hargreaves mentioned that Miss Stryker "would not eat and would neglect herself" during this time and had found it "hard to cope since her father had died".
Leading up to her death, Miss Stryker had become ill and on Saturday, August 12, Mr Hargreaves was unable to wake her up, and called an ambulance to Royal Bolton Hospital.
Doctors described Miss Stryker’s condition as "lethargic" and believed she had pneumonia and sepsis.
Antibiotics were given but eventually Miss Stryker was transferred to Salford, with infective endocarditis, a bacterial infection which can spread from the heart to the rest of the body.
Dr Thomas Wright, a consultant at the hospital, said: “It effects the heart or the lining of the heart then travels from the heart to other places of the body and damages them.”
The condition was believed to have been caused by Miss Stryker’s drug use, as Dr Wright explained it was not something commonly seen.
After Miss Stryker suffered a "rapid deterioration", the infection caused cerebral infarction, which is a stroke due to not enough blood going to the brain.
Doctors tried to relieve pressure on Miss Stryker’s brain, but all treatment proved unsuccessful, and they made the difficult decision with the family’s permission to stop all treatment to retain Miss Stryker’s dignity.
Miss Stryker died peacefully with her family by her side.
Mr Teasdale gave the conclusion to be death by drugs, with 1A cerebral infarction, 1B infective endocarditis, and 1C intravenous drug use.
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