Sick man, 29, 'told by doctor he had flu' one day before he died
A Sydney doctor told a patient suffering from heart disease he must have the flu the day before he died, an inquest has heard.
Deputy State coroner Teresa O'Sullivan is investigating the death of 29-year-old computer analyst Samuel Seeto, on December 6, 2015, at his Forestville home.
Counsel assisting the coroner, Tracey Stevens, told the Glebe Coroners Court on Thursday Mr Seeto died the day after a consultation with Dr Bhikhubhai Patel at the Chatswood Medical and Dental Centre.
Ms Stevens told the court Mr Seeto died from acute myocarditis and the inquest would focus on his medical condition in the days leading up to his death and the consultation with Dr Patel the previous day.
A Sydney doctor told a man suffering heart disease to go home and take flu tablets a day before he died. Source: Getty
One key issue to be investigated was Dr Patel's claims he advised Samuel Seeto and his father Lawrence Seeto during the consultation to go to the Royal North Shore hospital if his condition deteriorated.
Mr Seeto denied the doctor mentioned anything about his son going to hospital.
CCTV footage from the medical centre played in court showed Samuel Seeto collapsing in the waiting room before going to see Dr Patel.
Mr Seeto told the court his son had also fainted the night before on December 4 after coming home from work.
During the consultation, Mr Seeto claimed his son told the doctor he was feeling cold and had lost all his energy.
He said at one stage his son told Dr Patel about a "trawling" feeling in his chest.
"Dr Patel said Samuel must have the flu," Mr Seeto said.
"Samuel said, 'I can't have the flu, I don't have a runny nose'."
Mr Seeto said Dr Patel checked his son's blood pressure, placed a stethoscope on the back of his right shoulder and checked his throat before sending him home after telling him to take some cold and flu tablets.
Dr Patel called the family later in the day to check on Samuel who spent the next day in bed before his father found him dead at about 4pm.
Dr Patel told the court on Thursday he wanted to apologise to Mr Seeto's family "for my role in the tragic loss of their son".