THE puzzle of how a woman who regularly took anti-epileptic medication all her adult life did not have any in her body when she died remained unsolved after an inquest.

The hearing in Ruthin was told that Susan Duck, who also suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and arthritis, had had fits since she was about 14 but took medication to control it three times a day.

Her family said the 56-year-old had enjoyed Christmas, 2017, but in the early hours of December 30 she suffered a seizure which lasted about four minutes. Unlike on previous occasions, however, she did not come round again and remained unresponsive.

Paramedics arrived at the house in Argoed, Kinmel Bay, and confirmed she had died.

Dr Avril Wayte, who carried out toxicology tests, said anti-depressants and painkillers were found in her blood but there was none of the anti-epilepsy drug, which indicated that she had not taken any the previous day.

Consultant pathologist Dr Huyam Abdel Salam gave the cause of death as “unexpected death in epilepsy”.

Recording a conclusion of natural causes, John Gittins, coroner for North Wales East and Central, said: “We are never going to understand this medication issue but facts are facts.”

He said that the absence of the appropriate medication meant that Mrs Duck was more prone to succumb to the effects of a seizure.