Accidental Overdose
Filed under: Drugs > Australiastic > Heath Ledger
The toxicology results are in, and the NY Medical Examiner's Office ruled Heath Ledger's death an accident based on using and abusing too many prescription medications.
The actor died as the result of acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam, and doxylamine.
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 Vicodin, a painkiller.
And, finally, we have resolution.
[Image via WENN.]
Posted: February 6, 2008 at 11:29 am
Hydrocodone is Loratab, not vicodin.
Oxycodone Is NOT oxycontin…its percocet…big difference. love, RN
man….your choice of words some time - why do "we" need resolution - none of "our" business. Take it up another notch Perez…the hipocracy is getting tiresome.
Why is this his fault. What f-ing doctor is prescribing all these drugs? Do they not see what else he is taking and know it is a lethal combo? I think the real problem lies in the fact that celebrities are prescribed whatever drug they think they need and it is given to them freely. Or maybe having an assistant pick up prescription hides how many different drugs they are taking. Why do you think Britney makes so many drug store stops. Drugs are too easily given to Celebs. And the Celebs are not aware of what mixing them can really do. It's a shame.
Pharmaceutical companies are PISSED!! - lost a good customer - this will also effect sales across a broad market.
This is another sad story of docters prescribing to many medications to a person and not realizing even a low dose is as dangerous as a high dose. Rest in piece heath! we love you and are always with you. Your sweet daughter will be loved and you are in her. Rest and god bless you
No One doctor would prescribe this combination of meds to a patient due to contraindications.
He had 3 different benzodiazepines in his system…Not 1 but 3!!
He would have to have been to various doctors and not advised each Doctor what medication he was already taking.
People need to understand that prescription medication can be deadlier than "illegal" drugs…they are all "drugs". Benzodiazepines are brutal to withdraw from, only someone who has been through that withdrawal will know what I mean.
Re: b –
b….you are exactly right.
Wow. That makes two who have died from a combination of prescription medication–in fact, the same ones. The first being Casey of Hawthorne Heights. That's a really scary thought. :[
RIP to both of them.
Ah, I see you corrected your own mistake…Hydrocodone is NOT a form of Ibuprophen!?! Nice work Perez~you must have hired an editor
RIP Heath… i know that beautiful smile of yours in shinning down on all of us.
Oxycodone is the generic for percocet not oxycontin, there is no generic for oxycontin yet.
Give me a fuckin break!!! Have sympathy for a crackhead , over spoiled Hollywood actor who never realised how fuckin good he had it?? And a beautiful daughter to boot?? How many couples beg for healthy children as they watch theirs wither in pain from chemo?? Throw it all away "ACCIDENTALLY"?? Prescription or Street you idiots, drugs KILL!!! Are we all completely stupid in America?? Can we save our sympathy for the zillion working men..FIREFIGHTER, POLICE FORCE risking their fuckin lives EVERY day!! Not on the crack pipe!! Yea, dont show that clip on TV, you bunch of precious wasters, he fucked up and died! He was a drug addict…look and learn ! DONT ask for sympathy for another drugged out Hollywood idiot!
To RJ,
Go FUCK yourself you ASSHOLE and may your kids DIE of a REAL DRUG overdose. You know the kind…RECREATIONAL….FUCKWAD! NO COCAINE, HEROIN, AMPHETAMINES, LSD, METH, PCP, MARIJUANA, etc… were found in his blood or tissue analysis. Everyone knows tch stays in the blood for 30 days and cocaine remains in the hair for up to 3 months, so just get hit by a bus so that we may all get a good laugh and I can get a good night's rest.!
Drug Abuse is Drug Abuse…who cares if they are legal or not…he was abusing drugs…it is sad…he had a lot to live for and my heart breaks for his parents and daughter BUT he was abusing drugs and that is not cool no matter how you slice it. And for those of you who think that is rude to say….FREEDOM of Speech is a wonderful thing.. =) People make mistakes…It happens. Heath made a mistake and is paying for it now…You dont mix that shiz!
Hillbilly Heroin - wow! I hope the FBi and the Medical Board goes after the doctor that prescribed that as they did in the Anna Nicole Smith case.
NOW will this fuck go away,please
no one takes all those pills on accident….
anywho, its still upsetting. RIP heath.
ALL those medications in his system and it's ruled an accident? It really amazes me what people will believe. Who would take all of that and bank on waking up unharmed?
Re: Registered Nurse – This is in reply to the 2 comments claiming to be from RN's. (Dear G_d, I hope that's not true.) You stated that "Oxycodone is NOT Oxycontin." Yeah, and alcohol is not rum. However, RUM IS ALCOHOL. Can you see where I'm going with this? Telling people who are obviously already very confused and misinformed that "oxycodone is NOT Oxycontin" is both stupid and dangerous. And then to try to legitimize it by claiming to be a registered nurse? And another thing, unless you were H.L.'s RN, how do you know that "Heath TOOK Oxycodone, the generic Percocet, a painkiller that lasts 4-6 hours. Heath DID NOT TAKE Oxycontin, a long acting version of oxycodone lasting 12 hours."? So many people jumping to conclusions. I've got a conclusion for you: Drinking a glass of beer won't get you as drunk or keep you drunk for as long as drinking a glass of Rum will. Again: the drug oxycodone that is in Percocet is the same oxycodone that is in Oxycontin. The main difference is there's much more of it in the latter.
Fuck you Perez, bye saying "And, finally, we have resolution" oh FUCK YOU, you are such an asshole. Show some RESPECT
oxycodone is not oxycontin - it's percocet. A lot less potent.
If there was a world wide drug registry for pharmacies , prescriptions could be tracked and deaths like this might be averted. What the hell was he prescribed vicodan? Get the dostors that over prescribe.
oxycodone is percocet, not oxycontin you dumbass
so sad
"Oxycodone"(generic name) is Percocet (brand name), NOT Oxycotin as you reported Perez. Percocet is a slightly less potent and dangerous drug than Oxycotin.
WHAT NO ONE SAYS BUT IS TRUE IS THAT OXYCONTIN IS BASICALLY PRESCRIPTION HEROIN. SEEN MANY FOLKS LOSE A LOT OF FOCUS, TIME AND ANY POSITIVE SKILLS DO TO THAT DRUG….THAT SHIT IS BAD….WHAT KIND OF MIND DO YOU HAVE MIXING ALL THOSE TOO? DAMN…..TOO HARDCORE FOR HIS OWN GOOD…..SAD
Oxycodone is NOT Oxycontin you muppet, they have the same chemical makeup but different durations of action. Get your facts straight and stop spreading misinformation…. fat-arse
omgosh :'(
so so so sad.
Anyone who takes a combination of all those different meds is asking for trouble.. What was he doing on all those anyways??
To the morons who insist drugs are drugs, regardless if they are recreational or prescribed, you are correct, but it ends exactly there. You do not know when he started to take these prescribed medications nor the dosages. Abuse is not e week, a month, or 3 for that matter. The ME stated it was very low dosages from all 5 combined. You can die from mixing aspirin and a few cocktails the very first time by MISTAKE. Hundreds of children die because their mothers over medicated them with over the counter drugs. Maybe the little bastards were junkies. I suppose that Dennis Qauids twins were at fault when they nearly died with a lethal dosage of blood thinner. Over 100,000 people are given the wrong prescriptions by their local pharmacists and 25,ooo of them die a year due to error. Over 100,000 patients are either over medicated or inadvertantly given lethal combinations in hospitals by physicians ,which half die. Go into 75% of this countries' homes and you will find an arsenal of prescribed drugs waiting to take its next victim because they do not know or inquire what the hell they are ingesting. Are they drug abusers? NO! Are they stupid and lazy? YES! ALCOHOL is the biggest narcotic endorsed by all! Len Bias tried cocaine 1 time, he died! He was not a junkie. Unlucky that is all. Other people do heroin their whole lives and live, and they are junkies. Who are you to label and judge someone's action. Give it a rests and stop preaching from your fucking pulpits!
Re: SmellyBelly – What would you call it???? "medicating?"
Love you always and forever Heath…no matter what. Though I have to admit that I was really so mad that I wanted to fly to Perth, open the coffin and shake the heck out of him…How could you Heath???? I have to take tons of pills, so many because I am in a transition, I had to do a full-page Excel chart to keep up with the instructions put them in the weekly, 4/day pack pill. It is my responsibility to inform EVERYBODY, even my OB-Gyn of what I am taking. And good that I did, because he had to talk to our health insurance so I could have a procedure I needed done because they did not wanna pay for it.
In the short AND long run, it is for YOUR benefit. I am 36, suffer from a couple of conditions, and my goal is to wean from these to ONE. You HAVE TO KEEP TRACK OF WHAT YOU ARE TAKING AND NOT TRUST YOUR MEMORY!!!! This pretty much sums it up.
Who else thinks this will give Tom Cruise an "in" to talk about the dangers of perscription medication? Either way his anxiety and sleeping problems could have been helped with yoga, hea;thy eating habits, exercise, time with your family and a VACATION! I know he did not take time off after filming batman and went right into his next project which was, in my opinion, a mistake. He will be missed. RIP Heath
Ny mom is a perscription drug addict. She always claims she is in great pain so the doctor will give better meds when she just wants to get high. She even sleeps with one of her married doctors so he will give her whatever she asks for. But if you call her an addict, she will say that her drugs are all legal and perscribed by doctors.
Re: Pharm – Lortab and Vicodin both contain 2 medications, Hydrocodone (a synthetic, opiate derived pain medication) and acetominophen (AKA tylenol.) The difference between the 2 is the ratio of hydrocodone to tylenol. The development of hydrocodone was partially based on 2 naturally occuring opiates (i.e. ones that are normally produced by the human body,) namely codeine and thebaine. However, its efficacy as a pain killer versus codeine is significantly more powerful. I am an M.D. who has prescribed both vicodin and lortab, and know what I have given my patients. Perez Hilton just happens to be one of my guilty pleasures/distractions.
actually, oxycodone is not just the main component in oxycontin, but also in plain old percocet (which can come in 5 mg, 7.5 mg, and 10 mg), as well as roxycodone and oxycontin. the difference between them is that percocet includes those small amounts of oxycodone, and also includes a different amount of acetamenophine in each does as well. roxycodone comes in, among others, 15 mg and 30 mg pills, and are instant release. there is no acetamenophine included in these pills. oxycontin comes in the same kinds of doses, except oxycontin are extended release pills that can release a small amount of the medication (once again, all oxycodone, no acetamenophine) every 4 hours or so. i have a chronic pain condition and have taken all of these at separate times (of course), which is the only reason i know all of this. BUT, just to be fair, i wanted to point out that just because it says he had oxycodone in his system, that doesn't necessarily mean he was on oxycontin, which is the big daddy of the group. it is completely possible, and MUCH more plausible considering doctor's reluctance to prescribe oxycontin (even though i know he's a celeb) that he was just taking plain old percocet. also to be fair, i know that to some percocet is also considered very dangerous and strong (i'm just used to other medications), but it is very addictive.
I live in the UK, Brighton if any of you know it. I work as a nurse getting people off prescription drugs they kill many. Please be carefull. Mixing them can be fatal. Only have one person prescribing to you.
OK, unless the guy had cancer there is no indication for him to be taking multiple narcotics and there in never a medical indication for taking multiple different benzodiazepines. As far as deciding something is accidental, there is no way anyone can infer intent from a toxicology report. "Doctor prescribed" or not "accidental" or not there is no question that this is a pattern of drug abuse and even if the drugs are licit shifting the responsibility to "doctors" rather than acknowledging the obvious–that this guy was taking these meds RECREATIONALLY and it had nothing to do with how they were prescribed or any true medical indication for them is really just FOS
Man, the DENIAL in this country is SICKENING. Yes, his death was sad, along with every other death that occurs. The amount of "prescribed" drugs he was taking was ridiculous! Unless he was dying of cancer…. people can't seem to wrap their lame brains around the fact that DRUGS are DRUGS. And clearly, anyone taking that amount of "medication" is a very serious DRUG ADDICT.
Re: jared – stuoid who dare you.
Re: jared – stupid who dare you.
Re: jared – stupid how dare you!!
Re: Jasmine – I'll get off my pulpit when you burn yours!
Hypocrite.
i LOVED heath ledger, as an actress, i really looked up to him… my heart aches for the friends and family he left behind…
RIP HEATH
What a tragedy.Now lets end the speculation and rumours and let him rest in peace.Miss You Heath 4eva.xxx
i feel that heath is vindicated in the fact that there was no illegal drugs found or alcohol found in his system. it is sad. rip heath
Re: Janell – actually, abusing prescription meds IS illegal drug use…legal medication is only legal when you use it in the manner and amounts as prescribed by a licensed physician. prescription drugs have become the drug of choice to get high all over the us because they are easier to get ahold of and cheaper than coke and heroin. having multiples of narcotics, multiples of sleeping pills, and multiples of anxiety/depression medication is very likely drug abuse, doctors don't prescribe multiple medications that do the same things because overdose would occur. i doubt it was intentional on his part, though, and probably not the first time he's taken a bunch of crap together like that. but for the record, being addicted to and abusing legal drugs is just as illegal as being addicted to and abusing coke, heroin, etc.
oxycodone is the generic name for percocet, not oxycontin
Umm, that's a lot of drugs to have in your system…seriously.
oxycodone is not oxycontin perez, its the generic name for PERCOCET!! change this immediately- no need to make him look like more of a drug addict is this really was "Accidental"! percocet is much more commonly prescribed than oxycontin….
Re: shan – "vindicated," I think not. Taking a slew of woe-is-me perscription meds is the ultimate form of cowardice. These findings have shamed his memory.
oxycodone is a massively powerful painkiller that is highly addictive on it's own. I'm just wondering what genius 'doctor' gave him all these medications, or if it was a combination of doctors in different countries that didn't have access to his medical records to know what he was already taking. no functioning human being should have been on that cocktail. Doctors need to stop over-prescribing to celebrities!!
Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin. Oxycodone is NOT OxyContin.
perez you should apologize for assuming that heath killed himself… you posted things about him doing drugs and saying stuff like "yeah so he is a druggie and killed himself with illegal drugs" so disrespectful
Oxycodone is not only oxycotin, it is generic for percocet. Oxycotin is a time release form of percocet, meaning that 40mg would be like 8 percocet in one as a time release. So it may have just been percocet he was taking and NOT oxycotin. Oxycotin is much stronger. Either way, it's a shame. Who would mix vicodin and percocet??
I guess it's not too much better, but a lot better than shit like coke and heroin.
Maybe people will shut up? Doubt it.
Re: sara – its sad that u would even comment on something like this as in #1 bitches grow up u heartless bitch
Re: jared – fuck you nobody is perfect..before u start pointing fingers make sure ur hands are clean
Um…..why is it that so many believe that the test results "put all of the rumors to rest"????? I liked Heath and I am saddened by his passing. I have absolutely no desire to unnecessarily disparage the man. But truth is truth and he died of a drug overdose. He had NO reason for having prescriptions of all of those meds. He was using "prescribed" medication about as much as Elvis was. Of course they were prescribed! Rich people can get prescriptions of unnecesary meds. But that doesn't change the fact that he was taking highly addictive narcotics for recreational purposes. Pneumonia does not require ANY of the meds that were in his system. He was using drugs. Face it, people. Even nice guys can be drug addicts and Heath was a drug addict. How sad this his family is putting his reputation above the good that could come from just admitting that another promising young life was destroyed by drugs.
for people who keep saying he knew what he was doing SHUT UP!! you sometimes take more than the recommended does for a better effect. He himself said that just one didnt work for him, so he probably used more and od'd. RIP HEATH!
! hYDROCODONE IS VICODIN NOT F@#$ING VALIUM. report that shit right perez!!!HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooO!!!!!!!
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That's sort of ridiculous. An accident?
That's like me driving drunk and getting into an accident. It's not REALLY an accident. It was because of my stupid and wreckless behaviour.
I liked him but there's something VERY wrong with you mentally if you're juggling all those different pills and don't think you're walking an extremely thin line.
It was only a matter of time.
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Why would he take more then one "sleep aid"? Why was he taking hydrocodone? Why did he need more then one antianxiety medication at a time?
What a cover - up….. they could have used this to bring attention to mental health…. he killed himself already… but, god forbid we admit it and help others out there suffering too.
dumb junky fuck
3 of the 6 prescription drugs found in Ledger's apartment had been filled in Europe, where the actor was recently filming, police said.
(AssociatedPress)
Yeah…no thanks to you and all the other dicks out there who 'speculated' partying and addiction. UP YOURS AHOLE.
ACCIDENTAL…..HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHAH
Man - so many of you people use this forum to try and "prove" you are right…most of the time it's all speculation, and nobody knows anything for a fact.
I my opinion, a young, talented man is dead…whether it was abuse or an accident, or both…may he rest in peace and may his family and beautiful daughter help keep his beautiful memory alive for a lifetime to come.
You are missed Heath.
Re: Jamie – Oxycontin is not a substitute for Heroin. You are thinking of Methadone. If you're going to make an assumption than at least have a basis for it.
Re: Jasmine – Bravo!
who cares
Re: barbara – EXACTLY!!!!!! It's called "drug abuse!"
Re: jeff – I'd rather he died partying than "medicating." It's a shame he obviously wasn't there for his daughter even when he was alive since he was drugged out of his mind. He should have taken some time off and got off of the drugs. HAPPY PILLS ARE A SHAM!!!!!!!!!
hopefully now they can leave him rest in peace and also stop harassing his family, friends, michelle and their daughter… as I thought, this wasn't meant to be. doctors should warn their patients about these things and not just hand out anything to anyone with no thought of what'll happen. I'm sure heath's not the only death due to doctors and their drugs… rip heath
Why the hell was a fit young man as himself on so many strong painkillers?
Why would anyone take ALL that medication at one time ??
I dont think his death has been answered at all
loved him.
RIP HEATH LEDGER
A life taken to soon from legal pills a DR prescribed! What a sad and tragic death. Heath RIP
Re: lil – They do tell them doughebag. So do the labels or leaflets you get with your medication.
Oh ya, and COMMON SENSE TELLS YOU TOO.
man just leave de dude alone… let him rest in peace… im sick of all de headlines bout him…. people exploiting his death coz they have nothing better 2 write about or talk about…. R.I.P Heath Ledger…..
Re: jared –
that is the most horrible thing i have ever heard. never should anyone thank god for the falling of one of our angles. heath was a wonderful person, and although we thank god for taking him to a better place, we do not thank god for his death. you should truly feel sorry for the comment you made, for all people, including drug addicts, deserve to live/ receive respect at their passing.
R. I. P. (*)