All posts containing the tag: "overdose"
Posted Oct 13th 2009 1:39PM by TMZ Staff
The first witness in the preliminary hearing over Anna Nicole Smith's prescription drug death testified authorities found a baby bottle of Pedialyte on her bed, along with a bottle of Cipro.
Pedialyte is used to rehydrate children when they experience diarrhea and vomiting. Anna had been battling the flu.
Cipro is an antibiotic used to treat infections.
Anna was found unresponsive in her hotel room on February 8, 2007 at the Hard Rock in Seminole, Florida. Her cause of death was a sleeping med along with 8 other prescription drugs.
Howard K. Stern, Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, and Khristine Eroshevich are charged with fueling a drug addict's habit.
The baby bottle evidence could be important because prosecutors are trying to show Anna Nicole was so incapacitated from drugs she could barely function.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Anna Nicole Smith
Tags: anna nicole smith, AnnaNicoleSmith, howard k. stern, HowardK.Stern, overdose, pedialyte, prescription drugs, PrescriptionDrugs, sandeep kapoor, SandeepKapoor
Posted Aug 31st 2009 12:20PM by TMZ Staff
Law enforcement sources directly connected with the death of DJ AM tell us that his death was the result of an accidental overdose and not a suicide -- and there is a tragic, ironic twist of fate.
Our sources say DJ AM, a recovering addict, developed a dependency to Xanax and other benzodiazepines (a group of drugs used to treat anxiety) as a direct result of the plane crash a year ago. We're told AM (aka Adam Goldstein) developed a tremendous anxiety over flying -- something he had to do frequently for his job.
We're told doctors began prescribing Xanax and other anti-anxiety medications to relieve his fear, but the benzos triggered a relapse into addiction. We're told benzos are particularly dicey for recovering addicts.
Our sources say DJ AM's relapse was "recent" -- he was not abusing for a prolonged period of time before his death.
We're also told the OD had "absolutely nothing to do with his recent breakup."
Our sources say the evidence strongly indicates cause of death will be a combination of crack cocaine and benzos.
Filed under: Exclusives, DJ AM
Tags: adam goldstein, AdamGoldstein, benzodiazepines, crack cocaine, CrackCocaine, death, DJ AM, DjAm, overdose, suicide, xanax
Posted Aug 28th 2009 4:30PM by TMZ Staff
The L.A. County Coroner has just officially announced the cause of Michael Jackson's death -- Acute Propofol intoxication.
The report says "other conditions contributing to death: Benzodiazepine effect." Benzodiazepines are a group of drugs (see below) used to treat anxiety and insomnia.
The manner of death is ruled: "HOMICIDE."
The Coroner did not release the full autopsy report -- just a press notice. It goes on:
The drugs PROPOFOL and LORAZEPAM (Ativan) were found to be the primary drugs responsible for Mr. Jackson's death.
Other drugs detected were: Midazolam (Versed), Diazepam (Valium), Lidocaine (topical anesthetic) and Ephedrine (used to treat hypotension associated with anesthesia).
The final Coroner's report, including the toxicology report, will remain on security hold, per the LAPD.
The Jackson family just released a statement:
"The Jackson family again wishes to commend the actions of the Coroner, the LAPD and other law enforcement agencies, and looks forward to the day that justice can be served."
Filed under: Michael Jackson
Tags: coroner, death, drugs, homicide, lorazepam, michael jackson, MichaelJackson, overdose, propofol, report
Posted Aug 25th 2009 9:27AM by TMZ Staff
We've been telling you for weeks Propofol killed Michael Jackson and authorities had their sights set on Dr. Conrad Murray. The affidavit to the Houston search warrant makes it clear -- Dr. Murray fueled Jackson with multiple drugs before he stopped breathing and Propofol was the crowning blow.
So the questions -- did Dr. Murray come clean when he spoke with the LAPD or is it even worse than we thought? Why was he on the phone for 47 minutes after Jackson stopped breathing? Why did he wait so long to call 911? Why did he refuse to pronounce Jackson dead at UCLA? Why did Dr. Murray disappear for a day?
And the bigger question -- is Dr. Murray the patsy -- taking the heat for years of prescription abuse at the hands of various doctors?
What do you think?
Filed under: Michael Jackson
Tags: dead, dr. conrad murray, Dr.ConradMurray, drugs, michael jackson, MichaelJackson, overdose, prescription drugs, PrescriptionDrugs, propofol
Posted Jul 21st 2009 12:25PM by TMZ Staff
We just spoke to Bam Margera who said he was rushed to the hospital Sunday after a four day drinking binge -- not because of a possible drug overdose.
The "Jackass" star blames the "4-day bender" on marital problems, telling us "I may get a divorce ... booze helps."
TMZ also spoke to Bam's mother -- who told us Bam's wife Missy called 911 because she was worried about his health after learning that he popped an Ambien during the drinking bender.
Margera says his kidney and leg muscles were a mess from not eating or drinking enough water -- but the hospital flushed out his system and he was released to his home after speaking to a psychiatrist.
Now, Bam claims he's in good health and he even sent us this photo -- taken after he was released from the hospital -- to prove it.
Filed under: Nurse!
Tags: 911, bam, Bam Margera, BamMargera, dehydrated, dehydration, jackass, nitro circus, NitroCircus, overdose, unholy union, UnholyUnion, viva la bam, VivaLaBam, west chester, WestChester
Posted Jul 20th 2009 10:30AM by TMZ Staff
April Margera just called into WMMR radio in Philadelphia to explain why a 911 call for a "possible overdose" was made for Bam yesterday.
April -- who just got back in town from a vacation -- said Bam had been filming for the MTV show "Nitro Circus" and had become "severely dehydrated." She said when Bam films stunts for shows like "Nitro" -- which is just like "Jackass" -- he forgets to take care of himself and doesn't eat enough.
April also said "basic partying" played a factor and she heard Bam walked to the ambulance on his own power.
As we first reported, Bam was taken to the hospital yesterday at around 1:30 PM.
Click here... it's not over yet
Filed under: Nurse!
Tags: april margera, AprilMargera, bam margera, BamMargera, jackass, nitro circus, NitroCircus, overdose
Posted Jul 20th 2009 9:50AM by TMZ Staff
TMZ has learned "Jackass" star Bam Margera was rushed to the hospital yesterday after paramedics responded to a 911 call for a "possible overdose."
We're told state troopers and medical personnel arrived to his home in West Chester, Pennsylvania at around 1:30 PM.
Story developing...
Filed under: Nurse!
Tags: bam margera, BamMargera, drugs, jackass, jackass 2, Jackass2, overdose, westchester
Posted Jul 16th 2009 2:30AM by TMZ Staff
We've learned the doctor at the center of the investigation into Michael Jackson's death is in the cross hairs of the LAPD because of his own words.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Dr. Conrad Murray's statements to police on the Saturday following Jackson's death contained incriminating disclosures about his involvement. Some members of law enforcement are surprised he spoke in the first place and surprised at what he volunteered.
As we reported yesterday, the LAPD is already treating Jackson's death as a homicide and there have been multiple conversations between detectives and the L.A. County District Attorney's office, although the D.A. has not opened its own formal investigation.
And we've learned, although some of the toxicology results are not in yet, important test results already completed point to the anesthesia Propofol as the primary cause of death. Our law enforcement sources say the evidence is clear -- Propofol was the primary reason Jackson's heart stopped beating.
Dr. Murray's lawyer would neither confirm nor deny if his client administered Propofol to Jackson the day he died.
Filed under: Michael Jackson
Tags: anesthesia, death, dr. conrad murray, Dr.ConradMurray, homicide, investigation, lapd investigation, LapdInvestigation, michael jackson, MichaelJackson, overdose, propofol
Posted Jul 15th 2009 3:00AM by TMZ Staff
Multiple law enforcement sources tell TMZ the LAPD is already treating Michael Jackson's death as a homicide, and they are focusing on Dr. Conrad Murray.
Law enforcement sources tell us the evidence points to the anesthesia Propofol as the primary cause of Jackson's death. As we first reported, vials of Propofol were found in Jackson's home after he died.
Law enforcement sources say there is already "plenty of powerful evidence" linking Dr. Murray as the person who administered the drug to Jackson. The evidence includes various items found in Jackson's house, including the Propofol, an IV stand and oxygen tank.
Dr. Murray's lawyer would neither confirm nor deny if his client administered the Propofol.
And we've learned the LAPD has had "multiple conversations" with the L.A. County District Attorney's office, although the case has not been formally presented to the D.A.
Filed under: Michael Jackson
Tags: death, dr. conrad murray, Dr.ConradMurray, homicide, investigation, lapd, michael jackson, MichaelJackson, overdose, propofol
Posted Jul 12th 2009 8:57AM by TMZ Staff
Doctors aren't the only ones in the cross hairs of authorities who want to find out how Michael Jackson scored various drugs, including anesthesia -- turns out Jackson knew his way around various dental offices as well.
As we have already reported, medical professionals have told TMZ Jackson was an "anesthesia addict," who would would seek out Propofol and other drugs that would sedate him or knock him out. Law enforcement is aware of this, sources say, and dental offices are part of their investigation.
Several Los Angeles doctors have told TMZ it was known in medical circles that Jackson used dentists to feed his habit.
A story just published in the Las Vegas Review-Journal buttresses the stories we've been reporting -- that Jackson had "doctor shopping" down to a science. According to the report, in 2003, a doctor (who spoke on the condition of anonymity) was summoned to Jackson's suite at the Mirage in Vegas.
The doctor says Jackson complained of a sore throat and cough and quickly determined it was a ploy to score prescription drugs. The doctor said, "The whole thing was staged. It was all a lie. They just wanted drugs. They wanted me to call in all these pills under someone else's name."
The doctor says when he refused to go along, Jackson's handlers intimidated him, saying doctors always helped the singer. The MD says at one point he said, "I'll see what I can do," and the handler "came up to me and put a finger in my chest and said 'You do that.'"
Filed under: Michael Jackson
Tags: anesthesia, body, dentist, dentists, doctor, doctor shopping, doctors, DoctorShopping, las vegas, LasVegas, Michael Jackson, MichaelJackson, mirage, overdose, propofol
Posted Jul 11th 2009 11:53AM by TMZ Staff
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ the central target in both the coroner and LAPD investigations into Michael Jackson's death is Dr. Conrad Murray, who was at Jackson's house when the singer went into full cardiac arrest.
Sources say the doctor is not cooperating with authorities, but they have still found evidence linking him to the drug that may have killed Jackson. As we first reported, as a result of Dr. Murray's second interview with police two weeks ago today, the LAPD obtained a warrant to conduct a second search of Jackson's home -- and that's when they found Propofol, a powerful anesthesia that should never be used outside a hospital. There is evidence Propofol was administered to Jackson shortly before his heart stopped beating.
And we're told there is evidence Dr. Murray may have administered the drug. Dr. Murray's lawyer, Ed Chernoff, told TMZ he would neither confirm nor deny if Dr. Murray administered Propofol to Jackson. Law enforcement sources tell us if they conclude the doctor administered the drug it may well lead to manslaughter charges.
Investigators are also suspicious of the delay in calling 911 -- the Dr. says he waited 20 - 30 minutes because he didn't know Jackson's address that would lead paramedics to the house. Jackson lived on one of the most famous streets in the world -- one house above Sunset Blvd.
As the investigation into Jackson's death heats up, there's also an investigation into his life with drugs and the doctor's who fueled it. Sources tell us law enforcement is seriously investigating the prescription practices of several doctors who gave Jackson access to medications. Investigators are particularly interested in doctors who used aliases to write scripts for Jackson. One of the central figures in the investigation -- Dr. Arnold Klein.
We broke the story yesterday how members of Jackson's staff complained that Klein was using the names of employees and others to help Jackson score drugs. One of the names allegedly used -- Frank Tyson, a former Jackson employee. Several powerful meds in Tyson's name were prescribed by Dr. Klein and found at the Neverland Ranch during the 2003 search.
Filed under: Michael Jackson
Tags: coroner, died, dr. arnold klein, dr. conrad murray, Dr.ArnoldKlein, Dr.ConradMurray, drugs, ed chernoff, EdChernoff, investigation, lapd, michael jackson, MichaelJackson, overdose, propofol
Posted Jul 5th 2009 9:30AM by TMZ Staff
As law enforcement officials comb through medical records to determine who supplied and administered the anesthesia Propofol and other drugs to Michael Jackson, we've learned there may be a fail-safe way of getting at the truth.
It's no secret -- especially in a celebrity town like L.A. -- some doctors use pseudonyms for celebrity patients and sometimes their medical charts somehow get "lost." But we've learned most doctors leave an indelible footprint when it comes to treating patients.
Many doctors -- especially ones with big practices -- use medical software systems from MD Systems, NexTech and other companies. These companies provide the software that makes it easy to input billing data.
Doctors typically input the patient's name, billing amount, type of treatment, type of drugs prescribed and administered, and date of service. Here's the thing -- that data cannot be deleted from the server.
The system allows doctors to add other data like medical charts, and those things can be deleted. But if someone deletes that info, the software shows the name of the user who did it and the date it was done.
Bottom line -- the basic billing information will not go away.
As we reported days ago, law enforcement found Propofol inside Jackson's house. Propofol is an anesthesia, which should never be administered outside a hospital, and it's looking like that drug killed Jackson. If cops find who supplied it and who administered it, the docs could well be prosecuted for manslaughter.
Filed under: Michael Jackson
Tags: billing, death, died, doctors, drugs, jackson, michael jackson, MichaelJackson, overdose, propofol
Posted Jul 3rd 2009 2:41PM by TMZ Staff
A spokesperson for Lloyd's of London tells us she's never heard of a case where her company has insured someone for a drug overdose.
AEG, the company that was promoting Jackson's London concerts, claimed yesterday the policy it took out from Lloyd's did not cover death from natural causes but did cover overdoses.
Louise Shield -- the head of communications for Lloyd's of London -- tells us such a policy is "odd" and that she's never heard the company insuring for drug overdoses.
What's more -- Shield says the company typically requires a "medical assessment" .... a physical before the policy is written.
As we first reported, Jackson's body had dozens of injection sites in various places. So the question -- how could a policy be issued with clear evidence of a problem?
Shield would not comment on the policy, and found it strange AEG discussed it publicly. She's not saying if overdoses were covered or not.
Filed under: Michael Jackson
Tags: AEG, insurance, Lloyds of London, LloydsOfLondon, Louis Shield, LouisShield, michael jackson, MichaelJackson, od, overdose
Posted Jul 1st 2009 8:30AM by TMZ Staff
Sources tell TMZ an extremely dangerous and potent drug used for surgical anesthesia was found at Michael Jackson's house after he died ... and this may well be the drug that killed him.
We're told the drug Propofol was discovered at the residence. The drug is used to put people under anesthesia before surgery. It is an extremely powerful drug that is only available to medical personnel. As one source said, "There is no conceivable way this drug can be properly prescribed for home use."
The drug can only be administered with an IV. Interestingly, Propofol burns and the drug Lidocaine is used to reduce the pain associated with the Propofol injection. As we first reported, Lidocaine was found near Jackson's body.
One of the major side-effects of Propofol is cardiac arrest if it's taken in combination with narcotic painkillers, however, Propofol is so powerful it can stop someone's heart on its own.
A registered nurse has come out and said Jackson begged her for the drug Diprivan -- the brand name for Propofol. She says he needed it for insomnia but she declined to supply it.
Sources say the drug is so inappropriate and reckless for home use, if a doctor facilitated it for Jackson and it caused his death, he or she could be prosecuted for manslaughter.
Filed under: Michael Jackson
Tags: drugs, lidocaine, michael jackson, MichaelJackson, overdose, propofol
Posted Jun 29th 2009 6:40PM by TMZ Staff
UPDATE: We're told the LAPD retrieved several prescription bottles from Jackson's house ... but the plastic bags by no means were filled with pills.
The L.A. County Coroner's office went back to Michael Jackson's home to retrieve medications, based on information turned up by the LAPD.
Coroner's staff left the house with two large plastic bags.
The Coroner would not say what types of meds were retrieved.
As we first reported, it is increasingly looking like Jackson died from a drug overdose -- possibly a combination of drugs.
Filed under: Michael Jackson
Tags: coroner, drugs, michael jackson, MichaelJackson, overdose
