Cocaine killed TV pitchman Billy Mays, autopsy finds

[tj2001]

http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2009/08/07/2009-08-07...

Mays, 50, suffered from heart disease but his drug use contributed to his June 28 death, the Hillsborough County medical examiner said.

The TV salesman - who hawked OxiClean, Orange Glo, Mighty Putty and dozens of other products - was found dead by his wife in their Tampa, Fla., condo.

Initial autopsy results did not turn up evidence of drug abuse, but toxicology tests uncovered the coke in his system.

[ddeclue]

1. What do you think is IN Oxyclean anyways?

Just kidding...

[Rick Myers]

2. I guess that explains those ads...

Sad. Coke is an evil drug!

[Sanity Claws]

3. I don't understand the connection

So they found some cocaine in his system. Why do they claim that it contributed to his death? I don't think one can simply assume that traces of cocaine in his system, apparently so small that it didn't even show up in the initial toxicology report, caused or contributed to his death.

BTW, I don't condone the use of cocaine. I just want accuracy.

[BuddyBoy]

4. Why do you feel that way?

"BTW, I don't condone the use of cocaine. "

[deadmessengers]

10. Here's one reason

I've never met someone I knew to be under the influence of cocaine who wasn't a gigantic asshole.

[Avalux]

5. Cocaine can trigger myocardial infarction within the first hour after use.

Cocaine use is associated with a large abrupt and transient increase in the risk of acute myocardial infarction in patients who are otherwise at relatively low risk. This finding suggests that studying the pathophysiological changes produced by cocaine may provide insights into the mechanisms by which myocardial infarction is triggered by other stressors.


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10351966

[Sanity Claws]

6. First hour sure.

The linked story said he used cocaine days earlier.
That's what I found puzzling.

[Avalux]

8. Even days later cocaine was a factor, especially with other risk factors present.

Cocaine is brutal on the cardiovascular system. It causes the blood vessels to constrict while the heart's demand for blood increases. If Mays had cardiovascular disease and smoked (did he?) then it was pretty damn stupid to use cocaine. MI can happen after the first use of the drug or the 1000th.

[Sanity Claws]

11. Interesting

I have no idea of whether he smoked. Regardless, using coke was not the smartest thing.

[Liquorice]

7. I've read that cocaine use can cause heart disease. Here is a link

about it:
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/HeartDiseaseRisks/story?id...

[Sanity Claws]

9. Wow

Thanks for the link.

[MADem]

12. "Heart disease killed pitchman; cocaine--like Hamburger Helper--helped!"

That's more accurate, actually.

He was apparently a heavy user of the stuff. He was also on oxycodone and some other drug.

[Sanity Claws]

13. CNN report went into more depth

http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/08/07/florida.mays.c...

Mays was taking a lot of prescription drugs. I wonder whether any of them contributed to his death.

[Jeep789]

15. Wow, 3 narcotics and 2 tranquilizers

All in his system at the same time. Yet they are blaming the Cocaine?

[Jeep789]

14. If he was actually using Oxy, I'd be willing to bet that

contributed even more to his death.

[MADem]

16. An article I saw said it was prescribed for "hip pain." nt

[Ron Green]

18. It's the hippest pain I ever had.

But that was back in the 70's.

[Dappleganger]

19. In his defense

he was scheduled for hip replacement surgery that Monday. The prescription drugs they found are not out of the ordinary for someone w/that prognosis.

[Jeep789]

23. They can be prescribed and necessary and still contribute

to ones demise.

[d_b]

17. THAT'S THE STRENGTH OF COLOMBIAN BLOW, GUARANTEED

[Shagbark Hickory]

20. Oh! What a surprise! (not) n/t

[sakabatou]

21. So that's why he yelled and always seemed to be on a sugar rush...

[Tulio]

22. Too Young (nt)

[Generic Brad]

24. I'M STUNNED! I'M SHOCKED!!

FOR YEARS BILLY MAYS SPOKE IN ALL CAPS AND NOW YOU'RE TELLING ME HE WAS A COCAINE USER! HOW COULD WE HAVE KNOWN? SURELY THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A SIGN IN HIS DEMEANOR THAT COULD HAVE TIPPED US OFF!!!!

[47of74]

25. That explains A LOT.

Now the yelling and the perpetual sugar high makes a lot more sense to me.