Autopsy: Cocaine a factor in Billy Mays' death

[one1]

Autopsy: Cocaine a factor in Billy Mays' death - CNN.com

(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.

The fact that toxicology tests detected only breakdown products of cocaine, not the drug itself, led Chrostowski to conclude that Mays had used cocaine "in the few days prior to death but not immediately prior to death."

Cocaine is a stimulant that can raise blood pressure and thicken the wall of the left ventricle of the heart, one of the organ's four main pumping chambers.

The autopsy also found low concentrations of ethyl alcohol "consistent with social consumption of a few beverages" as well as the narcotic drugs hydrocodone, oxycodone and tramadol. Mays had prescriptions for the drugs -- which were found in therapeutic or subtherapeutic concentrations -- to ease hip pain.

In addition, the tests found evidence of two tranquilizers -- alprazolam (Xanax) and diazepam (Valium) -- which are commonly prescribed for a variety of ailments, including anxiety and insomnia. Both drugs were determined to be in therapeutic or subtherapeutic concentrations.

So as it turns out, people are not dropping dead at 50 of old age. Michael Jackson, Billy May's, and more are simply killing themselves with drugs.

[StealthBravo]

I just saw this on google news. Wow.

[ALL DAY]

I heard he thought coke was a fantastic product...

Never thought he'd be the one to be on blow though, weird.

[ianbroste]

theres a joke here somewhere

[GregTheWang]

theres a joke here somewhere

I know! I've been knocking my brain around for hours... so close...

[one1]

"HI,

I'm Billy May's. I scream everywhere I go and I'm wound tighter than a F'kin corkscrew and now you know why!"

[blkcadi]

Go figure, using cocaine/drugs is God's way of telling you that you have too much money and no brains.

[one1]

At 50...... Don't use coke, duh.

[JAE]

Hi billy mays here introducing the all new oxicocaine!!!!!!!!

[ajl917]

This is just ridiculous. This really was something I didnt expect it. Another sad story to see...

[StealthBravo]

The moment I turn 50, I will give the nose candy up

[NeoNightmareX]

Guess he ran out of Oxyclean.

[StealthBravo]

^ Will Oxyclean give you a good tweak too?

[Zeal]

I was more surprised that this guy died then MJ dying...

Just last year everyone hated MJ creeper self.

[StealthBravo]

^ take it back

[Zeal]

Never

[ALL DAY]

I do appreciate his talent though, before he went all little boy-crazy...

[Zeal]

i do appreciate his talent though, before he went all little boy-crazy...

win win wn win winxdxdxdxdxdxdxdxdxd

[cpjr]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytTD68MQz7c"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytTD68MQz7c[/ame]

[Happy Noodle Boy]

It's amazing how much misinformation spreads across the internet in such little time.

Billy Mays wasn't so high-spirited because of the cocaine. He used cocaine to calm down. He was just THAT energetic.