ABSTRACT
A 50-year-old woman was brought to the emergency department by her husband, who found her collapsed on the bathroom floor. The patient was awake when he found her and she denied losing consciousness, explaining that she felt light-headed and was unable to sit up. She had been unwell during the preceding 3 days, experiencing fevers, headache and coryzal symptoms, which she had attributed to seasonal influenza. She complained of nausea and muscle aches that had been present for 24 hours. Her past medical history included depression and fibromyalgia. She took regular glucosamine and occasional paracetamol. She worked as a university lecturer and did not drink alcohol or smoke.
