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Expert: Sepsis Victim's Life Could Have Been Saved
14 Apr
Summary
- An infectious disease specialist testified a young woman's life might have been saved.
- The specialist suggested earlier blood tests could have identified sepsis sooner.
- Concerns about discrimination and racism were raised by family members.
An infectious disease specialist testified at an inquest that Heather Winterstein's life could likely have been saved with earlier and different treatment for sepsis at a St. Catharines hospital in December 2022. Dr. Dominik Mertz stated that on December 9, 2022, when Winterstein, 24, first sought help for severe pain, the emergency department doctor ruled out infection, attributing her symptoms to "social issues." Mertz suggested that bloodwork and additional lab tests, even if vital signs didn't trigger sepsis protocols, might have revealed early signs of infection.
Winterstein returned to the hospital the following day, December 10, 2022, and collapsed after waiting for 2.5 hours. She later died from sepsis caused by streptococcus pyogenes and staphylococcus aureus. Mertz emphasized that starting antibiotic treatment before septic shock develops offers the best chance of survival. He indicated that the first day, December 9, 2022, represented the "best opportunity to change the outcome." Family members and community groups have voiced concerns that addiction discrimination and anti-Indigenous racism may have impacted her care.
