HONG KONG A Hong Kong doctor left the word "acute" out of a dying heart patient's diagnosis because he didn't know how to spell it, a news report said Thursday.

The patient was treated for a less serious condition as a result and died in hospital hours after going to Dr. Chau Chak-Lam with chest pains, the south China *****Morning Post**** reported.

Chau admitted at an inquest Wednesday that he should have put the word "acute" on driving instructor Chiu Yiu-Wah's Hospital referral for angina.

He told the inquest that he "had acute angina pectoris in mind" but said he left out the word acute.

I was not sure about the translation," he said. "I did not know the English spelling."

Asked by the coroner why he did not use Chinese, Chau said he was following the common practice in Hong Kong of using English in referral letters.

Chiu, 65, was admitted as an urgent case, two steps down from the top priority of critical as a result of the referral letter, the inquest heard. He died the same night.

(DPA)