Cause Of Death Deferred

4-6 Weeks For Full Toxicology

June 26. 2009

"Coroner: Cause of Jackson Death Deferred"

As I stated in yesterday's Column, regarding a guarded industry secret, Michael Jackson had been abusing prescription medicines for years, which many stars do, as far back as his Pepsi commercial accident in the early 1980's. Jackson's hair and skin were accidentally burned when he caught fire on the set of the commercial.

The last photo of Michael Jackson, photographed through ambulance window, with his nose missing from the pic

He was given prescription medicine for the pain associated with the accident. This means his body faced almost 30 years of high prescription drug doses, which adds up.

Today, Craig Harvey, a spokesman for the corner's office in Los Angeles, which performed Michael Jackson's autopsy, stated they have established there was no foul play and he was on prescription medications at the time of his death (that's plural, as in more than one). For further reference, see Heath Ledger and Anna Nicole Smith. Taking a combination of prescription drugs can be fatal.

Many are stating Jackson received a powerful dose of the drug Demerol, meant to relieve pain. Demerol is like morphine and the latter is a drug doctors and hospitals give to cancer patients to ease their pain. Therefore, that should tell you how strong the drug is and the impact it has on the human body.

While the toxicology results on Jackson are not expected for another 4-6 weeks, many now believe prescription meds played a role in his death.

Celebrities, due to pressure to perform well, failed projects, public scrutiny and depression, often abuse prescription medication such as Demerol and Oxycontin.

However, after a while, prescription medications do not have the same effect when abused and dosages are unwisely increased in an effort to gain the desired feeling. This practice can turn deadly. It is like playing Russian roulette, both inadvisable.

Another factor I wonder if his doctors had taken into consideration is how thin Jackson had become in the last weeks of his life. The photo of his sheet covered body being airlifted to the coroner's office, revealed a very thin frame.

When one goes to the doctor, they take one's weight, as a precautionary method, not to overmedicate patients. The dosage often corresponds to body weight and other factors such as preexisting conditions like disease or a heart murmur, which are taken into consideration.

Michael Jackson's doctor Conrad Murray

If Jackson was receiving the same high dosage, as he was thinning away and under massive stress, said factors could damage his body and weaken it.

AP Source: Jackson suffered a heart attack

LOS ANGELES – Michael Jackson, who was with a cardiologist when he collapsed at his rented home in Los Angeles, appeared to have suffered a heart attack, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press.

The person, who was not authorized to speak publicly and requested anonymity, said Jackson suffered a heart attack, which is a blocking of the arteries that deprives the heart of adequate blood. That can lead to cardiac arrest, an interruption of the normal heartbeat.

Jackson's brother Jermaine said Thursday that it was believed the pop singer went into cardiac arrest. The Los Angeles County coroner's office, which completed its autopsy Friday, said determining the cause of death will require further tests that will take six to eight weeks.

The possibility of a heart attack could be a key clue as to why Jackson had a cardiologist at his home while he went through vigorous training for an upcoming series of concerts in London: Heart attacks can indicate a long-term problem, such as heart disease. It would not necessarily rule out another factor, such as drug use, however.

Coroner's spokesman Craig Harvey said Jackson was taking some prescription medications, but did not specify what they were.

Police earlier today seized the car of Dr. Conrad Murray, a cardiologist who practices in California, Nevada and Texas, who was with Jackson at the time of his death. Police said they believed the car may contain drugs or other evidence.

When autopsies are performed on cardiac arrest victims, as many as three-fourths show signs of heart disease, such as clogged arteries, said Dr. Douglas Zipes, an Indiana University heart specialist and past president of the American College of Cardiology.

Finding signs of a heart attack would not rule out drugs playing a role. For example, injections of the powerful painkiller Demerol can depress normal breathing or cause a sudden drop in blood pressure and trigger a heart rhythm problem, said Dr. Lance Becker, a University of Pennsylvania emergency medicine specialist and an American Heart Association spokesman.

If that occurred in someone who already had clogged arteries, it could make the situation much worse, he said.

http://news.yahoo.com