Heath Ledger's Death Was Accidental Overdose

People.com ^ | 02.06.08

[Perdogg]

Heath Ledger's death on Jan. 22 was due to an accidental mixture of prescription drugs, the Office of Chief Medical Examiner for the City of New York has concluded.

"Mr. Heath Ledger died as the result of acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam, and doxylamine," said an announcement released Wednesday morning by office spokesperson Ellen Borakove.

Oxycodone is a pain medication, hydrocodone is a cough suppressant, diazepam is commonly called Valium, temazepam treats anxiety or sleeplessness, alprazolam is known as Xanax, and doxylamine is a sedating antihistamine.

[Hyzenthlay]

Um, I’m pretty sure hydrocodone is a painkiller (it’s been prescribed to me as such). Anyways, I believe it could have been an accident - I had a friend who was on meds for ADHD, depression, OCD, and allergies when she hurt herself and the ER doctor prescribed her a prescription painkiller, and the painkiller made her loopy/tired enough that she accidentally mixed up two of the meds and almost died as a result (thankfully she’s OK now and off everything except the allergy meds). Plus, hydrocodone combined with anything that has a side effect of making you sleepy can screw with your mind in very weird ways.

[Sue Perkick]

Plus, hydrocodone combined with anything that has a side effect of making you sleepy can screw with your mind in very weird ways.

And that's what happened here. The hydrocodone is used as a painkiller as well as a cough supressant. Temazepam is a hypnotic probably for the insomnia we heard about both before as well as after his death. Doxylamine is an antihistamine, which we all know makes you drowsy. Add the Xanax & this was a mess.

His head may have been so messed up he didn't realize what he was doing. A lack of sleep & the things prescribed for it can do strange things to your head. As much as it will disappoint some who love slamming "Hollyweird" celebrities it sounds like this was just a tragic accident.

[Continental Soldier]

If there were so damn many things wrong with him that he needed so many different drugs, maybe he should have been in a hospital or in a psych ward! Accidental overdose? C’mon, tell it like it actually is, for once!

[GOP Poet]

Well said!! So very true!

[E Rocc]

I have some pretty close personal experience with someone who's been prescribed multiple meds, including much of this list. Sometimes it's not so much a death wish as a desire to be "numb", regardless of the risk. There can even be a "daredevil" aspect to it...."how close can I go and come back".

-Eric