A devoted mother and grandmother who suffered from complex medical conditions died of heart problems complicated by the interaction of two prescribed medications.

Zetoon Hopkins, 57, had attended the Royal Blackburn Hospital in September suffering with pneumonia.

She was discharged on September 27, without any antibiotics, but died at the hospital on October 5, after being re-admitted the day before complaining of chest pains and shortness of breath.

Following a kidney transplant in 2011, Mrs Hopkins – who had a history of diabetes, high blood pressure, pneumonia, and heart problems – had been taking the drug, tacrolimus, which is used to prevent the body rejecting organs.

On visiting her GP on October 1 complaining of shortness of breath, Mrs Hopkins, of Mendip House, Haslingden, was prescribed the antibiotic clarithromycin. The inquest heard that clarithromycin could sometimes have an adverse affect on patients when taken alongside tacrolimus.

Giving evidence, advanced nurse practitioner, Karen Swift, who saw Mrs Hopkins at her GP’s surgery on October 1, said she had been aware of the risks of prescribing the antibiotics while Mrs Hopkins was also taking the transplant rejection drugs.

She told the inquest that because she was known to the surgery, and had known complex conditions, she felt her judgement in prescribing had been correct.

Consultant anaesthetist, Dr Stephen Gilligan, said Mrs Hopkins’ symptoms rapidly deteriorated from October 1 and she was re-admitted to the Blackburn hospital on October 4.

He said: “She was transferred to the intensive care unit when it was discovered her levels of tacrolimus were very high, her heart rate very low and was clearly very poorly.

“We managed to stabilise her that evening but in the early hours of October 5 she had a sudden collapse in her condition and cardiac failure, and we could not do anything to reverse this.”

Coroner James Newman told the inquest: “The situation surrounding Mrs Hopkins condition and her first hospital admission in September led the nurse at her GP surgery to make a judgement to prescribe her with the clarithromycin antibiotics once she had been discharged.

“There was an understanding of the risks and a justification of the risks of prescribing the antibiotics and the fact they could have increased the tacrolimus levels in her body, but sadly the justification did not work in Zetoon’s favour.”

Mr Newman said he could not return a natural causes or misadventure conclusion, and instead concluded Mrs Hopkins’ death was a result of her underlying cardiac conditions complicated by her complex clinical picture and the interactions of two prescribed medications.

After the inquest, a family spokesman said: “She was a caring and loving family woman who doted on her children and grandchildren.

“She was well known in the community of Haslingden and used to look after everyone, including her neighbours, and was an active member of the St Mary’s Church community in Rawtenstall."

“She will be missed very much.”