A coroner has urged people who take illegal highs and have medical problems to tell their GPs – so they can be directed to try different “safer” drugs.

Veronica Hamilton-Deeley, the coroner for Brighton and Hove, advised drug-users to be “frank” with their doctors after the sudden death of a 28-year- old groom-to-be in Hove.

Chef Maciej Czwertlik, of Goldstone Villas, died on January 13 after taking ecstasy on a night out.

Mr Czwertlik had underlying heart problems and had repeatedly com- plained to his friends and medics about feeling ill.

He would suffer palpitations when exercising, his friend Michal Chrzariwski told the inquest in Brighton, and a post-mortem on his body revealed furring of his arteries.

The inquest revealed he had taken a “survivable” amount of ecstasy for someone without health problems but the drug can put extra pressure on the heart.

Ms Hamilton-Deeley, who recorded a verdict of death by misadventure said she understood why Mr Czwertlik had not told his doctor he took ecstasy about once a month, but she wished he had.

She said: “It’s so important to tell your doctor if you take drugs and they can tell you something you can use more safely.

“If you have something wrong with your heart it is important to be com- pletely frank with your doctor.

“Maybe somebody somewhere else won’t risk it and will think, ‘I won’t use ecstasy. If I am going to use drugs I will use something safer’.”

Speaking after the inquest, Hove MP Mike Weatherley said: “This tragic event highlights that we need to be much more open when debating the issue of drugs, especially with health professionals.

“If somebody is going to take drugs, I would much prefer that they do so in as safe a manner as possible.”

Dr Christa Beesley of Brighton and Hove Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “GPs would not advise people to take illicit drugs.

“However, GPs are able to advise their patients of the particular dangers of any drugs, prescribed or illicit, that a person has used or is intending to use.

“I would advise people to be open with their doctor about their use of illicit drugs so that they can be made fully aware of the risks they are running and gain support to adopt a healthy lifestyle.”