A "fit" 52-year-old Gravesend man was turned away by Darent Valley Hospital two days before dying there.

Jeffrey Hussey, of Livingstone Road, Gravesend, was told pains in his chest were musculoskeletal, due to heavy lifting the day before, when he visited the hospital earlier this year.

The next day he felt worse and his wife Trudy phoned NHS 111 for help. She was called back by a doctor who told her Mr Hussey should increase his fluid intake.

The following morning he was suffering so much an ambulance was called. Hours later he died in hospital.

The post mortem showed cause of death as left ventricular failure caused by pericarditis (the swelling of the pericardium - the fluid-filled sac surrounding the heart).

The inquest, at Gravesend Old Town Hall, heard how Mr Hussey, a UK Power Network worker and foster carer, first went into Darent Valley Hospital on March 11 complaining of chest pain but was diagnosed with musculoskeletal pain.

Emergency doctor Dr Arif Rastegar said: "He had been diagnosed with a viral illness and advised to come back if he got worse.

"A doctor spoke to his wife about the diarrhoea and vomiting on March 12.

"His condition worsened on March 13 and an ambulance was called.

"Paramedics found him on the sofa looking very weak. He was taken by South East Coast Ambulance Service as a priority case."

Dr Rastegar treated Mr Hussey when he arrived in A&E and described the patient as "overweight" but otherwise "fit".

He said: "His wife had noticed he was jaundiced. 

"He was suffering from multi-organ failure and sepsis. However around 25 minutes after he arrived he said he felt better.

"He suffered three cardiac arrests and unfortunately with the final one, resuscitation proved unsuccessful.

"There is nothing we could have done to avoid these arrests."

Another medical professional told the inquest the correct procedure was followed. 

Dr Winston Martin, cardiologist consultant at the hospital, said: "He didn’t have a chest x-ray as the chest appeared clear when he went in on March 11. Routine testing is something we try and encourage doctors not to do.

"I am confident the doctor followed the correct procedure in this case. 

"We did an ECG but it did not show up the abnormality.

"Two days later he was in a very poor way as a result of the sepsis.

"Sepsis is a natural disease with a significant mortality rate.

"The vomiting and diarrhoea were a reflection of that rather than a cause of the sepsis."

Coroner Roger Hatch said: "It seems to me nothing could have been carried out or not done which would have affected the sad outcome of this care.

"I record a verdict of natural causes."