Billy Mays Autopsy Results

[Feralpeg]

No head injury was found during the autopsy. It appears to have been sudden death due to heart failure. It doesn't appear to have been a heart attack. It was cardiac arrest. He was on tramadol and oxy-codine, but the number of pills left were correct for proper prescription usage. He did have heart disease. The cause of death will not be released for a few weeks.

 

[twinklebug]

Thanks for the update. I was just starting to enjoy watching him too. I wish his family the best.

 

[Feralpeg]

This sudden death thing is very scary. The doctor at the press conference said that there is no way to know that you might be a candidate without extensive testing. Billy Mays had a thickening of the heart wall, high blood pressure and some coronary heart disease. Other than the high blood pressure, he most likely had no idea.

He said that generally they hear that most people who die of sudden cardiac arrest say they just don't feel well prior. There is no chest pain associated with it. Most people would right it off as just being under the weather.

The doctor said that this is not an uncommon thing for a man 50 years of age. Scary.

 

[ols386]

Wow....it's so sad, and so sudden. I feel for his family.

 

[a1tinkfans]

Thanks for posting, I was shocked to hear and actually thought it was the head hit (like Natasha Richardson).
What a scary situation..

Very sad, that poor family!!!

 

[Feralpeg]

The good thing is that the doctor said he died in his sleep. Other than feeling a little unwell when he went to bed, he never knew what was happening. If you've got to go, I think there are a lot worse ways.

 

[Handbag Lady]

Thank you for the information.

We also enjoy his show and we wonder how Sully is taking the news.

We were also concerned that if it was due to the minor head bumps, then the ERs around the world would be full with people every time someone had a bump.

 

[wall*e2008]

I saw on the noon news that he died from a Pulminary Embolism. I believe I was watching CNN.

 

[JessicaR]

The medical examiner in Florida says the 50-year-old Mays suffered a pulmonary embolism over the weekend. The autopsy found: Hardening of the arteries and heart weight of >500 grams indicative of hypertensive heart disease and left ventricular enlargement.


The medical examiner says the autopsy reveals that Mays had an enlarged heart and that his head injury on the flight did not contribute to his death.

He was due to have hip surgery today. That was why he was taking pain meds.

 

[rie'smom]

I wonder if the hard landing contributed to his death. I don't have heart issues but if my plane landed and the wheels blew out, I'd probably have a heart attack. It would frighten me to death.

 

[onelilspark]

I hope this brings some peace to the family. If it were the bump on the head, I'm sure his wife would be kicking herself for letting him go to bed. Knowing it wasn't that but something else that he couldn't have really known about will hopefully bring her some peace.

 

[Pin Wizard]

Thanks for the update. I hadn't caught up yet.

 

[pigletgirl]

That is why they call high blood pressure the 'Silent Killer'. It does so much damage without you ever knowing.

 

[Jethro Tull]

The man had such a perfect beard...so perfect