Expert witness Drew Watson

Good afternoon, please state your name for the record.

Dr Drew Watson

What is your occupation?

I am a cardiologist and the Director of the Russell Goedken Cardiology Center at Drake University Hospital.

How long have you been working in the medical field?

 I’ve been working in the medical field for about 16 years, specializing in cardiology for the past 12.

What qualifications do you have?

I have a MD from Drake University Medical School

Do you have any specialized experience in your field?

I was a pupil of Dr Martins who specialized in erratic deaths, such as stress cardiomyopathy 

Have you served as an expert witness in any other cases regarding stress cardiomyopathy ?

Yes I have, 

Have you seen this document before?

YesIhave

What is it?

It is the coroner’s report belonging to Charlene Baskerville 

Is this a fair and accurate copy of the coroner's report you reviewed  as part of forming your expert opinion in this case?

Yes it is

Based on this report, what was Charlene Baskerville’s cause of death?

Stress cardiomyopathy

Moving along, what is stress cardiomyopathy?

Stress cardiomyopathy  is a condition where sudden, extreme true stress causes the body to release blood of adrenaline which weakens the heart and makes it balloon out of shape. 

What is it typically caused by?

Severe emotion or stress

Are there any specific characteristics frequently associated with stress cardiomyopathy?

The heart expands and is mis-shaped

What have i just handed you?

Is this a fair and accurate depiction of a diagram of Stress cardiomyopathy

Yes it is

Would it assist in your testimony today?

yes

Please describe this diagram to the jury.

Could you please read from the 5th paragraph second sentence in the corners report?

Heart muscle shows apical ballooning. Left ventricle

distension – characteristic of takotsubo cardiomyopathy,

Is this description consistent with Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy?

Yes - that’s what was being shown in the diagram..see here, that ballooning that the medical examiner is describing

Can you please, in simple terms, explain the science behind this type of reaction to fear?

Sure, when the body experiences extreme fear, it goes into fight or flight mode producing an extreme amount of adrenaline. That excess adrenaline in the body can lead to heart failure. Like it did here.

According to the coroner’s report, what were Charlene’s adrenaline levels during the autopsy?

Very high

According to the coroner’s report, what prior cardiac issues did Charlene present?

none

In your experience, can someone without any history of cardiac issues suffer from stress cardiomyopathy?

Yes - they are entirely unrelated. Cardiac issues typically involve blocked arteries. Stress cardiomyopathy is a response to intense physical or emotional stress that weakens the heart muscle

What’s the commonality of stress cardiomyopathy?

It is not very common but i personally have seen at least 250 cases

Based on your review of the coroner’s report and the facts of this case, did you reach an expert opinion based on a reasonable degree of scientific certainty as to the cause of Charlene’s death?

yes

and what is that opinion

she suffered from takostubo syndrome