A 29-YEAR-OLD shop manager collapsed and died from a rare, undiagnosed heart problem.

Emma Louise Greaves was found collapsed at her home, in Fitzgerald Drive, Darwen, on Saturday, December 3, by her fiance.

She was taken to the Royal Blackburn Hospital, but died a short time later.

An inquest into her death, at Blackburn Coroner’s Court, heard that only 2.4per cent of the population suffer from the same heart problem, and her close family were advised to be tested.

The condition came to light when a post-mortem examination was carried out and tests showed severe fluid accumulation in her lungs, usually a sign of heart failure, and the organ was sent for specialist testing at the Royal Brompton Hospital, in London.

The family’s concerns that a knock to the head on the day she died contributed to the collapse were ruled out, as was any link to a minor car crash in November.

Emma’s mum, Adrienne Smith, questioned whether a delayed ambulance response contributed to her daughter’s death.

She said: “We’ve been told that the ambulance came from Preston and that’s the procedure on Fridays and Saturdays, but would it have made a difference if paramedics had got to her sooner and she was given CPR immediately?”

Dr Mussari, a pathologist from the Royal Blackburn Hos- pital, said: “Most likely not. When this occurs, the blood starts circling within the heart itself, and it’s very hard to rejig that.”

Miss Smith then asked whether stress could have caused the problem. Dr Mussari said he was not aware of any link.

He added that Emma’s heart problem was heredit-ary and “there was nothing anyone could have done.” He said: “Most people don’t know anything is wrong until something happens. Most people are asymptomatic.”

Coroner Michael Singleton concluded the death was from natural causes. He said: “As a parent myself, I can’t begin to imagine the pain and grief. I’m always conscious I deal with real people.”