Autopsy: Cocaine a factor in Billy Mays' death *Merged*

[Faerluna]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/08/07/florida.mays.cocaine/index.html


(CNN) -- An autopsy report issued Friday by Hillsborough County, Florida, cites cocaine as a contributing factor in the death of TV pitchman Billy Mays, who died in June at age 50.

"Mays died from a lethal arrhythmia of the heart caused by hypertensive and arteriosclerotic heart disease," the county said in a statement attributed to Dr. Leszek Chrostowski, the associate medical examiner who conducted the autopsy.

"He further concluded that cocaine use caused or contributed to the development of his heart disease, and therefore contributed to his death," it added.

 

[Duane]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32334881/ns/us_news-life/?GT1=43001

TAMPA, Fla. - An autopsy report shows that cocaine use contributed to the heart disease that suddenly killed TV pitchman Billy Mays in June, officials announced Friday.

The Hillsborough County medical examiner's office previously determined that the bearded, boisterous TV spokesman had a heart attack in his sleep. His wife found him unresponsive in bed in their Tampa condo June 28.

Mays was a pop-culture fixture with his energetic commercials pitching gadgets and cleaning products like Orange Glo and OxiClean.

While heart disease was the primary cause of death, a report released Friday by the medical examiner listed cocaine as a "contributory cause of death."

Drug taken days before death
The medical examiner "concluded that cocaine use caused or contributed to the development of his heart disease, and thereby contributed to his death," the office said in a press release.

The office said Mays last used cocaine in the few days before his death but was not under the influence of the drug when he died. Hillsborough County spokeswoman Lori Hudson said nothing in the toxicology report indicated the frequency of Mays' cocaine use.

Cocaine can raise the arterial blood pressure, directly cause thickening of the left wall of the ventricle and accelerate the formation of atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries, the release said.

The toxicology tests also showed therapeutic amounts of painkillers hydrocodone, oxycodone and tramadol, as well as anti-anxiety drugs alprazolam and diazepam. Mays had suffered hip problems and was scheduled for hip-replacement surgery the day after he was found dead.

Mays' talent reached wide audience
The McKees Rocks, Pa., native developed his style demonstrating knives, mops and other "As Seen on TV" gadgets on Atlantic City's boardwalk. For years he worked as a hired gun on the state fair and home show circuits, attracting crowds with his booming voice and genial manner.

He got his start on TV on the Home Shopping Network and then branched out into commercials and infomercials. He developed such a strong following that he became the subject of a reality TV series, Discovery Channel's "Pitchmen."

 

[5Stars]

Well, that's too bad if he coke did contribute to his death...however, it might explain why he always YELLED OUT SO MUCH.

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[Avaj]

Sad to hear

 

[Jon88]

That's why he was so loud and excited on those commercials.

 

[bbgun]

That's nothing. Just wait til the MJ report comes out.

 

[Yeagermeister]

Wow that's shocking

 

[Rampage]

Well, that's too bad if he coke did contribute to his death...however, it might explain why he always YELLED OUT SO MUCH.

TRY THIS! IT WORKS...ONLY $29.95 AND IF YOU CALL NOW WE WILL INCLUDE 12 MORE! CALL NOW!

:laugh2: so true

 

[Jon88]

That's nothing. Just wait til the MJ report comes out.

I hear the drug that killed him, propofol, doesn't even give you a good night's sleep. It just knocks you out. Just stupid.

 

[ArmyCowboy]

That's why he was so loud and excited on those commercials.

Yep.

In all honesty (without knowing the man, of course) he may have actually convinced himself that he needed the drug to get "up" for his performances in the commercials.

Whatever the case, sad nontheless.