Two weeks after actor Heath Ledger was found dead by a masseuse and housekeeper, the New York City Medical Examiner ruled his death an accident.
The cause of death listed was "acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam and doxylamine."
The medical examiner's office only provided generic names, so it is unknown whether he took generic or brand-name drugs. Police had said they found six types of prescription drugs, including sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medication, in Ledger's apartment.
So what were the drugs that Ledger had in his system? Fox News reports that Oxycodone is a painkiller marketed as OxyContin and used in other painkillers such as Percodan and Percocet; hydrocodone is used in a number of painkillers, including Vicodin.
Diazepam and alprazolam are the generic names for the anti-anxiety drugs Valium and Xanax, and the other two drugs are sleep aids commonly sold under the brands Restoril and Unisom.
The Medical Examiners Office made it clear that there were no overdose of any one drug but that the death resulted in the drugs being used together at the same time so the official ruling is that his death was an accident. It has become tragic end to a tragic loss in entertainment.
In a statement released through Ledger's publicist, the actor's father, Kim, said: "While no medications were taken in excess, we learned today the combination of doctor-prescribed drugs proved lethal for our boy. Heath's accidental death serves as a caution to the hidden dangers of combining prescription medication, even at low dosage."
What can an individual learn from Ledger's death? This is a wake up call for people who have multiple prescriptions from different doctors/pharmacies. This is actually a common issue with people who are prescribed more than one prescription. Medicines should never be mixed without discussing their use with a doctor.
It is easy to rationalize or begin to think you know as much as a doctor when it comes to using prescription drugs. In cases with high anxiety, it can be detrimental when looking for the quick relief of pain. Ledger should be a reminder for this issue.
It is a tremendous lost for entertainment as well as his family. I do hope the release of the cause of his death does put an end to the rumors of drug use. Hopefully, others who live this same type of lifestyle will begin to see the dangers of multiple doctors and multiple prescriptions and the deadly harm they have on the body.
Ledger had said in past interviews that his body was exhausted from his recent roles. He said in a November interview that his roles in the Batman movie "The Dark Knight" and the Bob Dylan biopic "I'm Not There" had taken a toll.
"Last week I probably slept an average of two hours a night," Ledger told The New York Times. "I couldn't stop thinking. My body was exhausted, and my mind was still going." He said he had taken two Ambien pills, which only gave him an hour of sleep.
I hope this news brings his loved ones the same peace he now has. Finally an end to all the drama.
