WTF is wrong with these young hollywood stars?... Heath Ledger Dies

[zzyzzx]

http://www.wnbc.com/news/15224103/detail.html

Heath Ledger Died Of Prescription Drug Overdose, M.E. Says

POSTED: 2:11 pm EST February 5, 2008
UPDATED: 10:55 am EST February 6, 2008


NEW YORK -- The medical examiner has concluded that actor Heath Ledger's death was an accident, and the result of the abuse of prescription medications.

The medical examiner released results of the toxicology report Wednesday, saying Ledger died as the result of acute intoxication by the combined effects of six drugs, including pain killers, sleeping pills, and anti-anxiety drugs.

The six drugs found in his system were oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam, and doxylamine, the medical examiner's office said.

The drugs are the generic names for the OxyContin painkiller, the anti-anxiety drug Valium, Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug, and the sleep aids Restoril and Unisom. Hydrocodone is another name for the better-known Vicodin.

Ledger was found dead in his Manhattan apartment on Jan. 22.

Ledger, 28, was found face down and naked on his bed and naked at 3:26 p.m. by his housekeeper.

His housekeeper had entered Ledger's room to let him know that a masseuse had arrived for an appointment, police said.

Police sources said investigators found two bottles of sleeping and anti-anxiety pills at the apartment.

While not a marquee movie star, Ledger was a respected, award-winning actor who chose his roles carefully rather than cashing in on his heartthrob looks. He was nominated for an Oscar for his performance as a gay cowboy in "Brokeback Mountain," where he met Michelle Williams, who played his wife in the 2005 film. The two had a daughter, now 2-year-old Matilda, and lived together until they split up last year.

The death was a shocking and unforeseen conclusion for one of Hollywood's bright young stars. Though his leading man looks propelled him to early stardom in films like "10 Things I Hate About You" and "A Knight's Tale," his career took a notable turn toward dramatic and brooding roles with 2001's "Monster's Ball."

[budz]

And now the DEA is getting involved as to how he got a hold of that many prescription drugs......

[guns1inger]

They were all prescribed by doctors. The issue is why conflicting medications were prescribed. The combination used basically slowed his body until it went into a coma, then shutdown completely. With no-one there to do anything, it was all over.

[thecoalman]

They were all prescribed by doctors.

Yes and this is actually big problem in US, you have doctors that aren't doctoring but prescribing pills. There was one locally that did it for years, walk in and tell him your back hurts and he hands you script for percocet and/or whatever else you wanted. It got to the point that they'd be lining up outside his office before he even opened, he eventually got arrested.

[Supreme2k]

Sometimes, these people commit "accidental" suicide. Yes, the drugs were prescribed, but they also have warnings. I'm surprised that you can take any of these drugs with all the "do nots" attached to them. On top of that, most people getting that many drugs are not always up front with their doctor. They get a prescription for this, borrow a few of these from a friend, go back for more from the doctor.

The lack of a note does not rule out suicide. In the wake of a tragedy like this, it's less painful to conclude that it was "accidental" rather than purposely done. With all the factors involved, suicide isn't an unreasonable conclusion.

I knew a guy that escaped his (many) problems by mixing a few chemical cocktails like the one found in Ledger. He didn't leave a note, but said that if he "went", he couldn't think of a better way to do it. Of course, his death was ruled accidental.

[Conquest10]

I'm still waiting on my apology.

I think it was accidental. Probably thought he was invincible and kept taking more and more drugs to get high.

[Supreme2k]

That's why I said accidental suicide. When they they take dangerous combinations of drugs, knowing that it can kill them, but thinking (hoping) "it can't kill me", it still can be viewed as a suicide. Kinda like that idiot actor a while back who shot and killed himself with a prop gun that had blanks.

[budz]

They were all prescribed by doctors. The issue is why conflicting medications were prescribed. The combination used basically slowed his body until it went into a coma, then shutdown completely. With no-one there to do anything, it was all over.

I'm assuming Heath probably didn't inform the doctor/doctors of all the other meds he was taking. He could have gone to more than one doctor to get treated thus not giving them his current prescribed medications that he was taking.

[zzyzzx]

Still waiting for some sort of photoshopped tasteless pic of Heath's "Anne Nicole Smith" fan club membership card.

[RabidDog]

Litany of Shame
Sony has quietly developed a notable business bringing out DVD premiere action titles featuring stars that graced theatrical marquees in the late ’80s and ’90s, including Dolph Lundgren, Steven Seagal and Jean-Claude Van Damme.

[MeDiCo_BrUjO]

Uh... what?.

Does this have to do anything with the current discussion?

[zzyzzx]

I suspect that they had multiple windows open and typed in the wrong one.

[Supreme2k]

RabidDog, Preview is your friend.

[thecoalman]

I've done worse, on my own forum where I have all the buttons I have accidentally hit the edit button on someone else's post instead of the quote button and have deleted their whole post. One was quite long. Only did that about 2 or 3 times...