State issues charges against psychiatrist Lawrence Lynch McReynolds over patient's death

June 21, 2012

On June 21, 2012, the Medical Board of California issued and Accusation against psychiatrist Lawrence Lynch McReynolds, relative to his 13-year treatment of a patient who ultimately died.

According to the state’s document, McReynolds, who resides in Colorado and is also licensed there, treated patient "CF" from August 1997 until June 2010.

In September 1997, McReynolds began prescribing the stimulant drug Adderall to CF. Subsequent entries in CF’s medical record indicated that McReynolds increased the Adderall dosage in twice in 1998.

In 2003, McReynolds added the stimulant drug Strattera to the Adderall dosage. From 1998 through 2010, McReynolds continued to prescribe Adderall in amounts equaling 4 to 5 doses daily. McReynolds’ record for CF contained no notes about CF’s medical history, substance abuse history or family medical history. Further, there was no collateral medical information, such as medical examinations, lab tests, urine drug screens or electrocardiograms. CF’s chart contained two entries for his blood pressure and one for heart rate—neither of which were taken by McReynolds but by CF’s partner, who is a nurse. CF’s autopsy report stated that his cause of death was cardiovascular disease and revealed that CF had an enlarged heart and large cardiac wall scar indicative of a prior myocardial infarction.

The Board’s document enumerates McReynolds’ acts of negligence and many departures from the standard of care in failing to examine, test, follow up with and keep complete records in the CF’s case.