Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Ibuprofen will get you through .. or not

This coroners report in todays UK Guardian newspaper. I never knew anti-inflammatories were recommended for long distance runners. Sign of my age I suppose.


Coroner says Sam Harper Brighouse prepared sensibly for race but 'events took unexpected and unintended turn'




Press Association
The Guardian, Friday 30 August 2013 19.02 BST

A fit and healthy young man died following a "perfect storm" of a reaction to sports supplements and ibuprofen, causing him to collapse as he ran a marathon, a coroner has concluded.

Sam Harper Brighouse, 23, fell ill about 16 miles into the Brighton Marathon in East Sussex on 14 April.

The biology graduate of Forest Hill, south-east London, embarked on the 26-mile running challenge to raise money for the Arms Around the Child charity which supports Aids orphans.

The Brighton and Hove coroner Veronica Hamilton-Deeley ruled that Harper Brighouse died of bowel ischaemia and a gastro-intestinal haemorrhage.

Cause of death was contributed to by an "idiosyncratic reaction" to hyperthermia, dehydration, endurance exertion, hyperosmolar sports supplements and ibuprofen, she said.

He took two or four ibuprofen tablets during the race as well as the sports supplements, the inquest heard.

The coroner said that at the time of his death his potassium levels were three times the normal level which caused his heart to stop.

Bowel ischaemia can lead to a 75% loss of blood flow to the bowel, the inquest heard.

The coroner said: "From the point of his collapse there was nothing that could have been done to help Sam."

The inquest heard that he also used an inhaler for asthma but the coroner ruled that this did not contribute to his death.

Describing his body's reaction, the coroner said it was a "perfect storm" situation.

"There is no evidence that any other death has occurred in the same circumstances as Sam's did."

Recording a verdict of misadventure, she said: "Sam died as a result of a combination of complications arising on a background of endurance sport. This combination has never been recorded before and may never be recorded again.

"Sam was unique in life and he remains unique in his death. His intent was to undertake to run the Brighton Marathon and he prepared entirely sensibly. He didn't indulge in any risky behaviour. The products he used to support him were recognised and recommended.

"Everything that Sam did was entirely appropriate and yet events took an unexpected and unintended turn which led to his death. This is a definition of misadventure."

Speaking after the inquest, Harper Brighouse's family called on marathon runners to be careful when taking sports supplements.

"We would like to thank all the people who attended to Sam after he collapsed. He was cared for by extraordinarily kind, compassionate people who could not have done more or tried harder to keep him alive," his uncle, Robert Brighouse, said.

"Sam's death was described by the coroner as extraordinarily rare, but it is a tragic reminder that participation in any endurance event and taking gels and analgesics to help you get through it carry a level of risk, no matter how fit you are or how hard you train.

"The endurance sports industry is still relatively new and we are all still learning about how the body copes and reacts to what we put it through and feed it.

"We would urge all those involved in the industry to do what they can to ensure that everyone who participates does so knowing what they need to do and take to make the experience unforgettable for all the right reasons."

A spokesman for Brighton Marathon said: "The Grounded Events Company, organisers of the Brighton Marathon, would like to extend their sincerest condolences to the family of Sam Harper Brighouse who collapsed during the race this year.

"We are all saddened by Sam's death and our sympathies are with Sam's family and friends.

"At the conclusion to the inquest, it is clear that Sam received immediate expert help of the highest quality from our medical team following his collapse but, unfortunately, nothing could be done to save him as his condition was irreversible."

Yes, I saw the story. Can't imagine 'what' Ibuprofen can do for long distance running - mebbe will google it up. Knowing what the side effects if Ibuprofen can be, then seems like the height of lunacy to take the stuff. Shakes head in disbelief. People seem to treat drugs like they were sweeties.

Mighty sad for the poor fella's family. RIP.

Always horrible when something like this happens.

Seems to be more and more examples of people ending up with far too high potassium levels these days, with supplements and unbalanced diets often being to blame. Don't think many people realise how critical the balance between ALL minerals is (sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, etc), and that loading up on one of them can really unbalance the rest horribly.

Endurance athletes get loads of professional advice. Ordinary folk doing endurance events don't always realise the strain an endurance event places on your body. Maybe there should be more encouragement to do shorter distance events for the ordinary folk, and leave marathons to the professionals or folk with a proper endurance trainer?

In the case pointed out here, seems that the ibuprofen wasn't really the cause, but the final straw - if he already had bowel ischaemia then any med that caused sufficient irritation could probably have done it. If his potassium levels were that high, then the additional strain of the event on his heart would have been too much.

What I can't get my head round is the coroner saying he hadn't done anything that was not recommended. Surely if someone is setting off to run a marathon clutching a packet of ibuprofen as this guy was in order to finish, then the recommendation should be not to run. Though I have to admit I used to go for 50 mile cycle rides when I was taking phenylbutazone. I didn't have a clue either, but at least I had been prescribed them for a necessary reason.

This is such a sad story. My heart goes out to his loved ones. I see so many people taking all these crazy workout supplements, and thinking that just because they are legal it is safe to take them regularly, in large doses, and mixed with other things.

It is really sad. We lost a cousin to too many supplements. She took so many thinking she was being healthy. :o( Her liver quit on her.

We also lost a dear friend from too many Tylenol. Her arthritis was so bad and she would just take another one. She thought they were better for her than other pain meds. After 3 liver transplants, she died..

We need to be as informed as we can be about what we put in our bodies.

And that horrific story of one of our own number - took too many pain killers. Lost track of what she had taken, was in soooo much paim and took one lot too many. Died. Left many children. I'll never forgget that. Just horrific.

Yes. Need to be informed. You's right on the button gal...