The Romanian authorities started investigating the circumstances of popular singer and actor Ioan Gyuri Pascu's death. An ambulance team that consulted the artist a few hours before his death diagnosed him with a panic attack and gave him a Diazepam, according to journalist Catalin Tolontan.

Ioan Gyuri Pascu died on Monday morning, at around 05:00, from a heart attack.

Representatives of the Ministry of Health’s Control Body, as well as inspectors from the Department of Emergency Situations and representatives of Bucharest’s Public Health Department checked on Wednesday the Bucharest-Ilfov Ambulance Service, to analyze how Ioan Gyuri Pascu’s case was managed.

“The control team will draw up a report that will later submit to the minister of health and the head of the Department for Emergency Situations. The information so far indicates a possible superficial therapeutic approach,” reads a statement from the Ministry of Health, cited by local Mediafax.

After analyzing all documents and procedures, the Ministry of Health is also to notify the College of Physicians in Romania, which has powers to adjudicate on any potential medical negligence.

Meanwhile, the Bucharest College of Physicians announced in a statement that the institution has already taken notice of this case and would carry out an investigation. The results will be made public.

Moreover, the management of the Bucharest-Ilfov Ambulance Service also started an internal investigation, to check how the medical staff intervened in Gyuri Pascu’s case. The investigation was triggered after the medical team of the ambulance that arrived at the artist’s house at around 03:00 that night diagnosed him with panic attack.

Ioan Gyuri Pascu called the first ambulance at around 03:00 in the morning. At that time, the artist told the doctors that he was having panic attacks frequently, and couldn’t sleep due to joint pain. He didn’t show any cardiac symptoms, according to Alin Grasu, the manager of the Bucharest-Ilfov Ambulance Service, reports Mediafax. The internal investigation is to establish if the medical team that arrived at 03:00 did all that was necessary for proper diagnosis and medication.

Another ambulance was called at Ioan Gyuri Pascu’s home at around 05:00 the same morning. This time, the medical staff couldn’t resuscitate the artist, who had a heart attack.

Ioan Gyuri Pascu was a diabetic and had suffered a stroke in 2010.

Another tragedy that occurred earlier this year brought to the public attention the inefficiencies of the ambulance services in Romania. A footballer collapsed on the pitch during a match and died at the hospital. The private ambulance that intervened was late and didn't have the proper equipment.

Romanian authorities suspend private ambulance firm after footballer’s death

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Cinemagia.ro)