Charles George King, 84, was found dead by his daughter after she and one of his friends “remarked that they had not heard from Mr King for some time,” said senior coroner Graeme Irvine.
She went to her father’s home in Royle Close, Gidea Park, “managed to gain entry and found Mr King lying unresponsive on his bed,” the coroner added.
His body was discovered on the evening of February 13. It is not known exactly when he died.
Police were called but found no evidence of any suspicious circumstances – but referred the case to the coroner as they were “unable to provide a cause of death”.
Mr Irvine opened an inquest into Mr King’s death at East London Coroner’s Court, Walthamstow, on Tuesday, April 22.
He told the court he had authorised pathologist Dr Vasi Sundaresan to conduct a post-mortem examination.
A cause of death has snice been given as “acute respiratory failure and coma” caused by emphysema and drug-related toxicity.
“Given those circumstances, I will open an inquest,” Mr Irvine said. “It seems to me that it is arguable the toxicity plated a causative or contributory role in the death.
“It was not the sole factor, but nonetheless it seems to have been a more than trivial factor.”
Inquests are held in the public interest to investigate unnatural deaths and whether future similar deaths might be avoidable.
He declared Mr King’s family interested persons – a legal status entitling them to view evidence ahead of the final inquest and question any witnesses called to testify.
He asked them to supply a statement including whether or not they were aware that he was either prescribed or had purchased the painkiller, and any concerns that they have regarding the death.
He ordered Mr King’s GP to disclose his records, including “precisely what Mr King was prescribed and why”, and whether any risk assessments had been carried out in relation to potential overdose.
The final inquest was listed for October.
