Heart Disease 'Link' In Swine Flu Death

Unconfirmed reports today say that the second person to die from swine flu in Ireland did in fact have a history of illness.

The 55-year-old Dublin bank official was at first thought not to have had an underlying condition, but the Irish Times has reported today that he suffered a heart attack some months ago.

However, the man, whose funeral Mass takes place today, was otherwise healthy when admitted to Beaumont Hospital with swine flu.

Named today, unofficially, as William Graham from Castleknock, he was single and worked for one of the country's main banks.

A spokeswoman for the bank said yesterday it was following all HSE guidelines in relation to swine flu with updates given regularly to staff on the situation and what to be aware of.

He is the second person to die from the illness.

A teenager, Darina Calpin from Sligo, died earlier this month from swine flu.

She had suffered from the debilitating illness cystic fibrosis before falling victim to the virus.

Earlier this week, the Health Service Executive (HSE) moved to reassure the public over fears about swine flu following the second death from the virus in Ireland.

Health officials said swine flu was a mild condition for the vast majority of those who contracted the virus and that two-thirds of the small proportion who had to be hospitalised had pre-existing health conditions.

Also, following reports in Britain that doctors had been told the swine flu drug Tamiflu could put some patients at increased risk of suffering a stroke if they were already on the blood-thinning drug warfarin, the HSE said if patients on warfarin were being put on Tamiflu, doctors should check their blood readings more frequently and adjust medication.

Some medical professionals are also reported to be wary of taking the Tamiflu vaccine, although the UK government has insisted that it is safe and fully tested.

See: Swine Flu Vaccine 'Mistrusted By Nurses'

See: Second Irish Swine Flu Victim Dies

(BMcC/KMcA)