Coroner Links California Law Student’s Death To Weight Loss Drug Tirzepatide

The cause of death of a 19-year-old American law student studying in England has been found to be a heart rhythm disturbance, a conclusion made by the British coroner partially because of the weight-loss medication tirzepatide.

Josephine Nasr, a student at the University of East London, died on September 23, 2025, in her student accommodation in Newham. According to the coroner, Graeme Irvine, her death was caused by a cardiac arrhythmia associated with myocardial bridging, which is a congenital heart disease, and electrolyte imbalance, which was caused by low blood sugar levels because of her prescription tirzepatide.

According to The Daily Mail, Nasr, a second-year law student, received her prescription for the drug in California, and when her body was discovered by university staff, an empty vial of the drug was found near her. The New York Post, referring to this article, stated that Nasr’s body mass index indicated that she was overweight, not obese. At the autopsy performed by the pathologist Alan Bates, the congenital heart disease that may lead to arrhythmia was revealed. It was established during the inquest that nausea caused by tirzepatide could cause hypoglycemia, which, in turn, causes an electrolyte imbalance, which leads to a dangerous arrhythmia, and the resulting stress could aggravate the condition of her heart.

According to Bates, Nasr “was an otherwise healthy young woman.” On the night of her death, about 8:30 p.m., Josephine told her father, George Nasr, mother, Lorin Mansour, and her sister, Anastasia Nasr, that she felt nauseous and was vomiting. Worried that she might get dehydrated, her sister arranged for her to receive intravenous fluids from a private healthcare provider, but Josephine stopped responding to any attempts to contact her. She asked for a welfare check from the university.

Security staff and a nurse found her lying on the bathroom floor. A London Ambulance Service paramedic declared her dead at the scene.

Tirzepatide acts on two gut hormone receptors, GIP and glucagon-like peptide-1. It is sold as Mounjaro for Type 2 diabetes and as Zepbound for weight management and obstructive sleep apnea. Nausea and vomiting are the most common side effects of this medication, and they can cause serious complications in vulnerable patients.

Eli Lilly and Co., the manufacturer of these drugs, states that the medications are used to treat serious diseases and are not approved for cosmetic weight loss. The company also warns that the drugs are not approved for patients under 18 years old and does not recommend using them for other purposes. In the U.S., prescribing information for Mounjaro includes severe gastrointestinal reactions among the warnings.

Nasr’s family, Coptic Christians, remembered her as an active and joyful young woman who loved traveling and caring for people. “She was full of joy,” her father said in court, describing how she always put others first.