A university student in London died from a fatal cardiac event after taking a weight-loss medication despite not being classified as obese, an inquest has found. Josephine Nasr, 19, suffered heart arrhythmia shortly after using tirzepatide, a drug marketed in the UK as Mounjaro and in the United States under the name Zepbound.

Nasr, an international law and legal studies undergraduate at the University of East London, was in her second year when she took the medication on September 23, 2025, in her residence hall. Originally from Corona, California, she was described as overweight but not obese.

The inquest held at East London coroner’s court in Walthamstow revealed that Nasr had a congenital heart condition known as myocardial bridging, which may have increased her vulnerability to heart complications. On the evening of the medication’s intake, she reported vomiting and nausea to her family around 8:30 p.m.

In response, Nasr’s sister contacted a private healthcare facility to send a clinician to the student’s flat. Accompanied by security personnel, the healthcare team was initially unable to contact Nasr. Eventually, residence porters entered the flat and found her unconscious on the bathroom floor.

Police recovered an empty vial of tirzepatide at the scene. Medical experts at the inquest testified that although Nasr’s body mass index placed her in the overweight category, she had been prescribed the drug by a physician in the United States earlier that summer.

Pathologist Alan Bates explained that tirzepatide’s side effects, which include nausea and vomiting, can cause hypoglycemia and disturbances in electrolyte levels. These physiological changes may trigger arrhythmias, potentially leading to fatal outcomes in susceptible individuals.

Nasr’s family described her as a joyful young woman who cared deeply for others. Her father, George Nasr, said she “was full of joy and always helped others before herself.” The coroner’s inquiry continues as authorities examine the circumstances surrounding the student’s death and the wider implications of prescribing weight-loss medication to patients without obesity.