AN ELDERLY man died within two hours of being sent home from hospital with instructions to carry on taking his tablets.

Joan Wade, the dead man's daughter, told an inquest she did not think her father would have died on January 10 if he had been admitted to hospital on that day.

But the doctor who examined Harry Chadwick Wade said he had done all the tests correctly and Mr Wade's condition was not acute at the time.

And a Home Office pathologist said Mr Wade had a "markedly diseased" heart.

"He was liable to sudden and unexpected death at any time," said Dr William Lawler. The inquest heard that Mr Wade, 91, of Rugby Avenue, Accrington, died of myocardial ischaemia due to coronary artery atheroma.

Daughter Joan Wade, of Queensborough Road, Accrington, said her father lived in his own home with the support of home-help visits.

On the day of his death, one of the carers rang Miss Wade and said she was concerned about his health.

Miss Wade went round and after several calls to the doctor, Mr Wade was taken by ambulance to accident and emergency at Blackburn Royal Infirmary.

Miss Wade said on a previous occasion when he displayed similar symptoms of breathlessness her father had been admitted and put on a drip for 24 hours and then discharged.

This time the doctor said the best thing would be if Mr Wade went home and continued taking his tablets.

"I suggested it would be better if he was put on a ward on a drip," said Miss Wade. "He came back with a nurse and I again expressed my concerns."

When the nurse repeated the doctor's decision Miss Wade said: "On your head be it."

Mr Wade left hospital at 5.05pm but because of traffic and a detour to drop off another patient, it was 5.50pm by the time he got home. Miss Wade said by then he was quite breathless. He had some food but his condition deteriorated and an ambulance was called. Mr Wade was dead by the time the paramedics arrived.

Dr Moynadin Shaikh was on duty in accident and emergency when Mr Wade was brought in. He said tests showed his blood gases were fine and an ECG was also fine.

Dr Shaikh said: "The patient was happy to go home and I asked him to take his medication. I did all the tests.

"Had the blood gases been different or the X-rays shown more fluid I may have admitted him."

Coroner Michael Singleton recorded a natural causes verdict.