Student dies of caffeine overdose during 7-hour ambulance delay — the scary symptoms to look for
An Australian college student died of a caffeine overdose after waiting several hours for the ambulance to arrive.
Christina Lackmann, 32, was a biomedical science student who was found dead in her home in Melbourne in April 2021, according to 9News.
Lackman had called emergency services at around 8 p.m. local time, saying she felt dizzy, numb and couldn't get up from the floor.
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3 Christina Lackmann, 32, was a biomedical science student who was found dead in her home in Melbourne after ingesting caffeine pills.
Instagram/Hannes Lackmann
Believing it to be vertigo, the operator labeled the case 'non-urgent' — and the ambulance didn't arrive until after 2 a.m., nearly seven hours since she had first made the frantic call.
After climbing through a neighbor's balcony, paramedics discovered her body in her bathroom — alone aside from her distressed dog.
It appeared she had been deceased for some time.
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A toxicology report indicated she had dangerously high levels of caffeine in her blood at the time of her death, and email exchanges showed she had received 90 200mg caffeine tablets that day.
'I am satisfied that Christina's death was the consequence of the ingestion of caffeine tablets,' coroner Catherine Fitzgerald said.
'However, I am not satisfied to the requisite standard that Christina intended to take her own life, although this remains a distinct possibility.'
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The coroner said that it was impossible to determine her likelihood for survival if the ambulance had arrived earlier, noting, however that overdoses are 'largely preventable when treating clinicians know what they are treating.'
3 It took nearly 7 hours for the ambulance to arrive after she made the initial call.
Instagram/Beate Lackmann
While relatively rare, caffeine overdoses can be swift and brutal.
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Last March, a 28-year-old 'workout queen' died from a caffeine overdose, which her heartbroken mother blamed on energy drinks.
In 2018, 21-year-old Australian musician Lachlan Foote died of caffeine toxicity after adding a teaspoon of caffeine powder to a protein shake.
Experts say most healthy adults can safely consume up to 400 mg of caffeine a day, which translates to four cups of coffee, 10 cans of soda or two energy drinks.
While it can vary based on individual factors, 5-10 grams of caffeine is considered a lethal dose for most people.
3 While relatively rare, caffeine overdoses can be swift and brutal.
aninna – stock.adobe.com
Symptoms of a caffeine overdose include:
Restlessness
Increased heart rate
Nausea or vomiting
Dizziness
Trouble sleeping Muscle tremors
Anxiety
Chest pain
Trouble breathing
Headache
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High doses can cause the heart to beat erratically or so rapidly that it fails.
They can also disrupt key electrolytes, leading to sudden death.
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